4 Alex Gordon LF

Gordon had a .300/.462/.350 slash line with one home run through 20 at-bats in spring training.

The veteran outfielder also had eight strikeouts in 26 plate appearances, but he may have just been shaking off the rust after posting the best strikeout rate (15.8 percent) of his career in 2019. Gordon re-signed with the Royals on a one-year deal in January and is poised to be the team's starter in left field for the 10th straight season.

Gordon agreed Wednesday with the Royals on a one-year, $4 million contract, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports.

Though Gordon became a free agent when the Royals declined his $23 million option for 2020 earlier this offseason, the three-time All-Star never seemed to seriously entertain continuing his career anywhere other than Kansas City. As anticipated, the 35-year-old will be back with the Royals on a more club-friendly deal after he posted a .741 OPS -- his highest mark since 2015 -- this past season. Gordon can be penciled in as the Royals' Opening Day left fielder, though he may have a shorter leash atop the depth chart than he's enjoyed in previous seasons.

Gordon's $23 million club option for 2020 was declined by the Royals on Thursday, making him a free agent, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.

Although the team opted to buy Gordon out instead of exercising his option, Heyman reports that the team will attempt to bring him back at a more reasonable rate next season. The 35-year-old recorded a .741 OPS with 76 RBI last year.

Gordon is not in Sunday's lineup against the Twins.

Gordon will sit for the first time since Sept. 15. He has hit well over the last week, collecting seven hits in 26 plate appearances, driving in five and scoring three runs. The Royals will start an outfield of Whit Merrifield, Bubba Starling and Ryan McBroom in his place.

Gordon will sit Sunday against the Astros.

The Royals will load the lineup with righties against southpaw Wade Miley. Ryan McBroom gets the start in left field.

Gordon is not in Thursday's lineup against the White Sox.

He is hitting .360 with one home run, five walks and four strikeouts in seven games this month. Brett Phillips gets the start in left field while Ryan McBroom gets the nod in right.

Gordon went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 7-3 loss to the White Sox.

It was the veteran's 13th homer of the year but his first since Aug. 8, and Gordon slashed a tepid .227/.327/.261 with only five RBI in the 24 games between long balls. His early season hot streak is ancient history, but the 35-year-old's .745 OPS is still his best performance since 2015.

Gordon will sit Sunday against the Marlins.

Gordon sits for the second time in the last four games, with the Royals seemingly wanting to get looks at younger players down the stretch. Ryan McBroom starts in left field on this occasion.

Gordon is not in Thursday's lineup against the Tigers.

He is hitting .286 with zero home runs and zero steals over his last 10 games. Bubba Starling will start in left field while batting seventh.

Gordon is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mets.

Gordon will head to the bench amid a 4-for-55 (.073 average) skid at the plate over his past 14 games. Bubba Starling will shift over to left field in place of Gordon, who could end up losing playing time to the Royals' other young outfielders if he fails to get going at the plate in the near future.

Gordon went 1-for-5 with a three-run home run as the Royals lost 10-8 to the Tigers on Thursday.

Gordon had been in a 1-for-23 skid at the dish coming into this contest, and he only recorded one hit in the game, but he made it count with a three-run blast off Jose Cisnero in the sixth inning. The veteran has cooled considerably after a red-hot start to the season, but he still sports a respectable .270/.343/.427 slash line in his age-35 season.

Gordon is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Red Sox.

Gordon will head to the bench for what appears to be a routine day off following a string of 17 consecutive starts. Over that stretch, the outfielder is hitting .229 with a .570 OPS. Hunter Dozier and Whit Merrifield are covering the corner outfield spots in this one.

Gordon went 2-for-5 with a pair of runs Sunday in the Royals' 9-6 win over the Indians.

Gordon isn't posting any eye-popping counting stats, but the 35-year-old has been an underrated fantasy asset in his age-35 season in large part to his solid run production and high contact rate. The veteran's .287 batting average -- his best showing in the category since 2012 -- is buoyed by a career-low 16.6 percent strikeout rate, suggesting some level of sustainability to what he's been able to do thus far. He'll be back in the lineup as the Royals' No. 2 hitter for Monday's series opener versus the Blue Jays.

Gordon went 3-for-4 with a solo home run, two RBI and two runs scored Tuesday against the Braves.

Gordon kicked off his productive evening with an RBI double in the fourth inning and followed that up with a solo home run in the sixth frame. It was his 11th homer of the season but first since June 6. While he has gotten on base a strong .397 clip in July, Gordon entered Tuesday's contest with just a .400 slugging percentage, an indication of just how much his power has fallen off of late. For the season, Gordon is now hitting .283/.358/.454 across 409 plate appearances.

Gordon is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the White Sox.

Manager Ned Yost is likely just extending Gordon a routine breather after the veteran started in each of the Royals' last 16 games. With Gordon riding the pine, Whit Merrifield will cover left field while Billy Hamilton re-enters the starting nine in center.

Gordon will serve as the Royals' designated hitter and will bat third Thursday against the Indians.

Gordon will get a day out of the field as the Royals and Indians wrap up their series with a day game after a night game. The 35-year-old has been a nuisance for the Indians in the first two contests of the series, cracking a pair of base hits in both games.

Gordon is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Indians.

With the Royals and Indians wrapping up their series with a day game after a night game, manager Ned Yost viewed Wednesday as an ideal time to hand Gordon an off day. The veteran will sit for just the third time in June, opening up left field for Whit Merrifield.

Gordon went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI and a run Sunday in the Royals' 6-1 win over the Twins.

Gordon plated a run for the fifth straight contest, a welcome development after he contributed only two RBI between May 29 and June 17. He'll look to extend the streak Monday, when he'll start in left field and bat third in the Royals' series opener in Cleveland.

Gordon is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Twins.

Gordon started the last seven games after being briefly sidelined with a back injury, but he's struggled with a .379 OPS in that stretch. Terrance Gore is starting in left field and batting eighth in his absence.

Gordon (back) will bat third as the designated hitter Friday versus the Twins, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports.

Gordon was held out of the lineup Thursday due to a compressed nerve in his back from a hit-by-pitch, but he'll be eased back into action Friday as the DH. Recent call-up Jorge Bonifacio will start in left field for the Royals.