3 Royals with doomed futures in Kansas City after shortened season

2. Alex Gordon

This one should come as no surprise, as Alex Gordon is long past his glory days. The former second overall pick signed the largest contract in franchise history after the team won the World Series, which tied him to Kansas City through the end of the 2019 season.

Gordon slogged his way through the first 3 years of that deal and especially struggled in those first 2 seasons, batting .220 in 2016 and .208 in 2017. It was pretty tough to watch, but the Royals continued to give Gordon starts due to his defensive skills and the fact that they were paying him $18 million a year.

Gordon’s 2019 campaign was enough for the Royals to merit bringing him back on a 1-year deal and he hasn’t been good. As of this writing, he’s hitting just .226 and it’s clear that he’s past his prime.

Bringing Gordon back for the 2020 season was a nice thought, especially after he had a nice comeback season last year, but there’s no reason for the team to re-sign him for 2021. It’s time for Alex Gordon to retire and for the Kansas City Royals to find their next left fielder of the future.