Outfielder Gordon retiring after playing 14-year career with Royals
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Royals outfielder Alex Gordon, whose roller-coaster career took him from near bust to All-Star and Gold Glove winner, will retire after the season.
He said during a Zoom news conference Thursday that the pandemic reinforced his feelings that he wants to spend more time with his family and “catch up on things I’ve missed my whole life.”
Gordon had signed a one-year deal to play with the Royals, and now he will do what so few have done in pro sports: end his career with the team where it began.
“It’s hard. I think any baseball player would say that,” said Gordon, who turns 37 in February. “You grow up playing this game, it’s a game you love, but you come to that day when you know it’s over — it’s hard.”
Gordon thought about retirement last year, when the Royals were hiring Mike Matheny to replace his longtime manager, Ned Yost, and the team appeared to be rebuilding. But with teammates such as Danny Duffy and Salvador Perez still in the clubhouse, Gordon decided to keep playing for a team he believes is on the cusp of winning.
That changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the game shut down, Gordon knew this would be the end.
“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,” he said. “It’s kind of bittersweet because this is hard for me to do. This is what I’ve done my whole life. but at the same time I’m excited to be around my family, be around my kids, and just catch up on things I’ve missed my whole life.”