The defending World Series champion Kansas City Royals are still actively trying to bring back free agent left fielder Alex Gordon, but a substantial disparity in contract negotiations may prove an impossible hurdle to overcome.
According to a report on Friday by Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, though the Royals are making the retainment of the 31-year-old Gordon a top priority this offseason, there exists a “sizable gap” in talks between them and Gordon’s camp.
Gordon is rumored to be looking for a deal worth about $20 million annually which is supposedly far greater than the 4-year offer the Royals were said to have initially made to him. The three-time All-Star apparently viewed that offer as too heavy of a hometown discount and sent back Kansas City “discouraging words about the initial try.”
The former No. 2 overall draft pick in 2005 has been with the Royals for his entire nine-year MLB career thus far. He has had no shortage of outside suitors this winter, however, with the crosstown St. Louis Cardinals said to be hot on his trail as well. Furthermore, Heyman reported last month that there was a “decent chance” Gordon does not return to the Royals this offseason.
Gordon is one of the top defensive left fielders in the league, while also still proving his sizable impact as a hitter, having batted .271/.377/.432 with a stellar 122 wRC+ last season (per Fangraphs).
Some tough financial decisions always have to be made by defending champions looking to keep their core of players intact after a postseason run that may have greatly boosted their individual values. The decision of whether or not to pay Gordon his market worth is one of them for the Royals, and if they balk at that idea, it won’t be hard to picture the Nebraska native sporting a different jersey next year.
Image Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
H/T Rotoworld
