Outfielder Alex Gordon agreed to re-sign with the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday in what’s almost certain to be a franchise-record contract for the defending champions, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
As talks intensified in recent days, the sides were discussing a four-year deal in the low $70 million range, sources said. Never have the Royals guaranteed more than $55 million to a player until Gordon, the 32-year-old left fielder whose sparkling defense and solid bat have made him among the game’s most underappreciated stars.
Kansas City took Gordon with the No. 2 overall pick in 2005 and over the next decade watched him blossom from third-base bust to left-field standout. Since his breakout season in 2011, Gordon has hit .281/.359/.450 and won four Gold Gloves. His steadiness in the middle of the Royals’ lineup buoyed the team as it integrated a young core and set the stage for the team’s first championship in 30 years.
Gordon’s deal could break the dam on free-agent outfielders, whose market has remained clogged through the New Year. Among those still available: power-hitting outfielders Justin Upton and Yoenis Cespedes, plus Dexter Fowler, Denard Span and Gerardo Parra. Other free-agent hitters include Chris Davis, Howie Kendrick, Ian Desmond, Austin Jackson and David Freese.
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