KC Royals: How Alex Gordon returning in 2020 would affect rebuild

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MAY 19: Alex Gordon #4 of the Kansas City Royals runs back to second base in the sixth inning of the MLB game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 19, 2019 in Anaheim, California. The Royals defeated the Angels 5-1. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images) /

Alex Gordon is in the fourth and final year of his massive $72 million contract he inked in 2016. There has been talk that Gordon is interested in returning in 2020, but how would this affect the KC Royals’ rebuild?

Most Kansas City Royals fans had somewhat come to terms that this would more than likely be Alex Gordon‘s final year, at least as a Royal. Last Friday, however, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com published a piece on how Gordon is “leaning toward playing after this year”.

Before we dive into the premise of the piece, it’s worth mentioning that Gordon has an option on his contract for the 2020 season, but it’s worth $23 million and the Royals will surely decline that. It also includes a $4 million buyout.

There’s likely a way that the team can bring him back without picking up the option and Gordon said in Flanagan’s piece that he doesn’t want to play anywhere else. Yes, that probably means he won’t be getting traded at the deadline due to his 10-5 rights.