AROUND THRE HORN
■ Royals: OF Alex Gordon, 36, the former first-round pick whose rollercoaster career took him from near bust to All-Star and Gold Glove winner, announced Thursday he will retire after the season. Gordon was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2005 first-year player draft following a standout career at Nebraska. He made his big league debut two years later and, after a few years shuttling back and forth to the minors, moved from third to the outfield and finally found success. Gordon wound up playing his entire 14-year career with the Royals, winning one World Series and joining only George Brett and Frank White as position players with that much longevity with the franchise. He headed into a weekend four-game series against the Tigers with the third-most walks (682), fourth-most HRs (190), fifth-most doubles (357) and sixth-most games played (1,749) in Royals history.
■ Indians: Shortly after the Indians’ 3-2 win over the visiting White Sox on Wednesday night, team president Chris Antonetti said manager Terry Francona will not return to the dugout during the regular season, but is slated to join the team’s postseason bubble. The 61-year-old has missed 42 games because of gastrointestinal surgery and blood-clotting issues. “It gives Tito an opportunity to be around the team, even if it’s not in the dugout,” Antonetti said. Sandy Alomar Jr. has been managing the Indians in Francona’s absence. The Indians clinched a playoff berth Tuesday.
■ Mets: Former All-Star OF Michael Conforto was placed on the IL with a hamstring injury Thursday, ending his regular season. Conforto was first hurt Sunday, sat out two games and then returned in Wednesday’s loss to the Rays. Mets manager Luis Rojas said Conforto aggravated the injury running to first base in the eighth. Conforto was hitting a career-high .322 with nine HRs and 31 RBIs. ... Sandy Alderson will be return to the Mets as team president if the sale of the team to Steve Cohen is approved by MLB owners, Cohen said in a statement. Alderson, 72, served as Mets GM from 2010-18 before taking a leave of absence after his cancer returned.
■ Extra innings: Chad Kuhl pitched seven sharp innings and Colin Moran and Bryan Reynolds had HRs among their three hits each in the Pirates’ 7-0 victory over the slumping visiting Cubs. Kuhl (2-3) retired the first nine batters and had a no-hitter until Anthony Rizzo doubled to the wall in right-center with one out in the sixth. The Cubs, who clinched a postseason berth Tuesday, have lost three straight and five of their last six. ... The 2019 World Series champion Nationals were eliminated from playoff contention after the Giants beat the Rockies on Wednesday night. Earlier, the Nats fell to the Phillies 12-3. ... Items from the personal collection of retired Hall of Fame Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully sold at auction Wednesday for over $2 million, including World Series rings from the Dodgers’ championships in 1955 and 1988.