Royals’ World Series star, Gold Glove defender Alex Gordon announces retirement
Alex Gordon, who hit one of the biggest home runs in Royals history and won seven Gold Gloves in left field, announced his retirement Thursday.
The Royals said Gordon will play out the final four games of the season, making Sunday his last game in the major leagues.
Gordon, 36, considered retirement last year, but returned to the club on a one-year contract this offseason.
This time, the deciding factor was the time he was able to spend at home during the pause in the Major League Baseball season amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It allowed Gordon to spend additional time with his wife Jamie and the couples three kids for the first time in his career.
That pull was too strong for Gordon to resist any longer.
“It was really my family,” Gordon said. “I’ve never really had a summer with my family. Not that it was a typical summer, but just to be home and to hang out by the pool and do stuff that I’ve never done before was kind of eye-opening for me. Now my oldest son is 10, my other boy is 7. They’re starting to play sports. I’m starting to miss a lot of things. Not that I’m not going to miss this game, but I feel like at the end of the day I’m missing my kids and their activities more than I’m going to miss this.”
Gordon, who was the second overall pick in the 2005 draft, played his entire 14-year career (2007-20) with the Royals. He is one of three Royals position players to play at least 14 seasons in Kansas City, joining George Brett (21 seasons) and Frank White (18). Both of those players have had their number retired by the team.
“This is hard for me to do,” Gordon said of retirement. “This is what I’ve always done my whole life. At the same time, I’m excited to be around my family, be around my kids and just catch up on stuff that I’ve missed all my life. This game has given me so much, but at the same time (my teammates) know what I’m talking about traveling, being in hotels, being in a suitcase, playing every day. It does take away a lot from a family, so I’m excited to catch up on that missed time.”
Gordon had been a veteran presence and steadying force in the clubhouse as the Royals transitioned to a younger roster in recent years. All-Star infielder outfielder Whit Merrifield has taken on an increasingly prominent leadership role the past two seasons.
Merrifield described the mixed emotions of Thursday’s announcement.
“It’s sad for me, selfishly,” Merrifield said. “This is an exciting time for Gordo, and I don’t think we should forget that. I think all of us in our selfish ways we’re all sad today. I think I’ve cried at least five times already today. That’s just because you’ve got a buddy, part of your family, that’s moving on. I’m excited for Jamie and his kids that they get their dad all year for years and years to come, but it’s going to be different. It’s going to take some getting used to. I’m going to miss the hell out of him, but I’m happy for him.”
Gordon is the Royals’ all-time leader in leadoff home runs (14) and hit-by-pitches (121). He is also in the top 10 for multiple franchise career statistics. That includes home runs (190, 4th), doubles (357, 5th), extra-base hits (573, 5th), hits (1,641, 6th) and RBIs (749, 6th).
After making his debut as a third baseman, Gordon was sent to Triple-A following a slow start and moved to left field. He thrived in his new position, winning seven Gold Glove awards.
His seven Gold Gloves ranks second in franchise history behind Frank White’s eight.
“When you look at the way the young fans look at this game and celebrate Alex Gordon, what he means to this game and the history of our game, the example he sets, the behavior that he models, to do it in one place for one city, is special and will always be remembered,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. “What we will always remember about Alex Gordon, the most common thing that people will say is that he stayed with one organization his entire career.”
People have various memories that come to mind when they think of Gordon, but the fact that he never played for any other organization was of the utmost importance to Moore and the organization.
“Loyalty is celebrated and respected by all of us,” Moore said. “Commitment and loyalty are foundational to what we desire to see and honor in people. Alex Gordon lived that.”
Gordon’s biggest moment came in the 2015 World Series. With the Royals trailing 3-2 in Game 1, Gordon stepped to the plate with one out and crushed a home run to center field off Mets closer Jeurys Familia.
The Royals went on to win in 14 innings and took the championship in five games.
“In ‘14 and ‘15 when we were in the playoffs, and to see it happen and win a World Series, he talks about after the game us just all being together,” Royals relief pitcher Greg Holland said. “That sort of emotion, it’s hard to quantify it. I know for him it was bringing a championship back to Kansas City, because he felt like it was his job and he wanted to win for his teammates.
“But it was also important to him to do that for an organization that gave him opportunities. It’s hard to actually put that into words. He always felt the need to perform at a high level to perform at a high level, not only for the guys in the locker room, but for the city itself.”
Former Royals manager Ned Yost joined the organization in 2010, when Gordon had gotten sent down to minors to become a left fielder.
This summer, Yost spoke with great pride about Gordon’s legacy.
“Small-market teams can’t miss on their No. 1 picks. They can’t,” Yost told The Star. “So we as a coaching staff had to do everything that we could to give Alex the opportunity to be successful. And Alex reciprocated …
“Alex would work as hard or harder than anybody I’ve ever been around. I can’t honestly say that I’ve ever seen a more consistent harder worker than Alex Gordon. There’s just nobody in my whole career (that I’ve seen) that dedicated to not only diet, strength training and hard work in practice every single day to be the best that he can. Alex Gordon is it.”
Cincinnati Reds infielder and former Royals star Mike Moustakas spoke to Kansas City reporters in August before a series against the Royals. Moustakas, now one of the Reds’ veterans, said he has tried to emulate Gordon in the example he sets for his teammates.
“I learned a lot from Alex Gordon on how to be a professional,” Moustakas said. “How to carry myself the right way, go about business the right way. He’s been doing it for a very long time, and he’s somebody I always looked up to when I did play with him and when I saw him when I was in the minor leagues. He’s a guy I always looked up to because of his work ethic and his dedication to his craft.
“I always wanted to carry myself a little bit like him. I’m a little bit more outspoken than he is, obviously, but the way he goes about his business is top-notch. You couldn’t ask for a better role model and player in the clubhouse to follow. I just try to be as much like Gordo as I can.”
Star sports columnist Vahe Gregorian contributed to this story.
This story was originally published September 24, 2020 at 11:22 AM.
