4 Alex Gordon, LF

Royals outfielder Alex Gordon had a season-high four hits Sunday against the Athletics. He had a double and an RBI.

Gordon is batting .382 (26 for 68) with three home runs, five doubles, 11 runs and 12 RBI in 16 May games. Since moving to the third spot in the lineup May 9, Gordon is batting .450 (18 for 40) with a home run, five doubles and six RBI in 10 games.

The Royals moving Alex Gordon to the third spot in the lineup has paid dividends not only for him but also for the team. Gordon is batting .429 (12 for 28) in seven games since the lineup change, and the Royals are averaging 5.4 runs per game in that span.

Gordon has been having a strong month, batting .357 (20 for 56) with three doubles, three home runs, nine runs and 11 RBI in 13 May games.

Royals manager Ned Yost moved outfielder Alex Gordon to third in the lineup Thursday, with the intention of getting his most productive hitter closer to the heart of the order where he can drive in runs. For at least one night, it paid big dividends, as Gordon drove in two runs to lead the Royals to a 6-2 win over the Orioles.

Gordon went 2 for 4, with the big blow coming when he slugged a two-run home run in the fourth inning, his sixth of the season. He added a single in the eighth inning, and he came around to score the team's final run of the game.

Gordon has started 167 games at the third spot in the lineup, but has batted just .263; he has put up a .307 mark out of the leadoff spot. Yost made the decision to move Gordon back to the three hole to increase the punch provided by the heart of the lineup.

"I just think the most important two spots we have in the lineup now should be manned by Gordy and Billy [Butler], three and four," he told MLB.com "Everything else is kind of interchangeable, matchups, who's producing."

Royals manager Ned Yost was pondering lineup changes Wednesday, the Kansas City Star reports. One such change could come for outfielder Alex Gordon. 

"I’m thinking about, maybe, putting Alex back in the three," Yost acknowledged. "I’m just trying to decide what benefits us the best. I’ve got like nine different scenarios I’m looking at. I’m not big on changing the lineup from day to day. You’ve got to have some movable parts, but the least amount of movable parts, the better for me."

Gordon, who remained in his leadoff role Wednesday in Baltimore, homered Tuesday and is batting .313 on the year with four homers, 22 RBI and 21 runs scored. He's been a far better hitter over the course of his career in the leadoff spot than in the No. 3 hole. 

Royals outfielder Alex Gordon launched his fourth home run of the season during Tuesday's contest against the Orioles.

Gordon took Brian Matusz deep for a two-run home run to tie the game in the seventh inning. He added a single and finished 2 for 4 with a run scored and two RBI in a 4-3 defeat.

Gordon has gone 3 for 15 with two runs scored and four RBI in his last three games played. He has a .313 /.338/.484 line with four homers and 22 RBI in 128 at-bats.