In an ESPN Insider post, Buster Olney speculates that the Kansas City Royals are in the market for starting pitching and could make outfielder Alex Gordon available to fill that need.
This season, Gordon batted .294/.368/.455 last season with a league-leading 51 doubles, a 5 triples, 14 home runs, 93 runs scored and 72 RBI In 161 games for the Royals. In 2011, Gordon batted .303/.376/.502 in 159 games with 45 doubles, 23 home runs and 87 RBI.
At 28 years old, Gordon is entering his prime years and has a team friendly contract will earn him $9 million in 2013, $10 million in 2014, and $12.5 million in 2015. He also holds a $12.5 million player option for the 2016 season.
He’d be the perfect fit for the Mets, but he won’t come cheap and if starting pitching is what the Royals want, then either Matt Harvey or Jon Niese will have to be in the deal and even that alone wouldn’t be enough.
This isn’t the kind of player that gets traded for some spare pitchers who did well in short-season or rookie league ball last year. But if you are as confident in these arms we have in the minor leagues as you say you are, than moving Harvey or Niese to get Gordon wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
Especially when you consider the lack of outfield options available in free agency, and dearth of outfielders in the Mets system. Currently the Mets don’t even have an outfielder above Single-A who even comes close to consistent 70+ extra-base hit power. None.
