The loss of Alex Gordon is not one to be taken lightly, but the Kansas City Royals have Jarrod Dyson who can take over without a problem. With that being said, two months without Gordon is a long time and the Royals may want to add another outfielder before the trade deadline.
Nick Kenney, the Royals' head athletic trainer, says Gordon will miss eight weeks with a grade two-plus strain, but it still depends on how the recovery process goes. Therefore, the Royals need to find an efficient way to replace Gordon, who was batting .279/.394/.457 with 32 runs scored, 11 home runs and 39 RBIs before the injury, on top of being the best defensive left fielder in the MLB.
Dyson is batting .282/.327/.437 with 16 runs scored, 1 home run, 9 RBIs and 11 stolen bases in 43 games (114 plate appearances).
So who might be on Kansas City's radar before the trade deadline? The latest rumors find three potential candidates.
"The eight-week absence of All-Star Alex Gordon has them eying the outfield market for depth, too, though Jarrod Dyson isn't a bad replacement," Jon Heyman of CBS Sports writes.
Heyman notes Milwaukee Brewers' outfielder Gerardo Parra and Philadelphia Phillies' outfielder Ben Revere as possible targets for general manager Dayton Moore.
Additionally, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal said Royals' scouts were in attendance to watch Scott Kazmir's start at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday. The Blue Jays, Astros, Tigers, Nationals and Pirates were also scouting the Athletics' left-hander, but Rosenthal said some were monitoring utility man Ben Zobrist too. Although Gordon's injury occurred on Wednesday, it's possible the Royals were still taking a look at Zobrist because of their current second base situation with Omar Infante.
The Royals are not known for being active at the trade deadline and Moore would be reluctant to dip into the organization's farm system to acquire one of these three rentals. However, something needs to be done. Despite their American League-best 50-33 record, the Minnesota Twins (46-40) and Detroit Tigers (44-41) are not very far behind and the loss of Gordon will certainly cost the Royals some wins.
Let's say Gordon returns in exactly two months from today. The Royals have nine games against the Tigers and three games against the Twins over that span, on top of a number of tough series against the Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Angels and Baltimore Orioles. There is plenty of room for error here, especially with a starting rotation that has not been performing well in 2015.
Gordon's absence is not going to ruin the season, but it will affect multiple factors.
"Gordon is more than the best player on this team. He is the hardest worker, the highest-paid, and the most-admired," writes Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star. "Baseball teams tend to be cliquey, not unlike any group of 25 co-workers. But Gordon is universally respected, the one coaches point to when a rookie comes up asking how to stay in the big leagues."
It's tough to say what the Royals will do, but with three weeks left until the trade deadline, Moore will be weighing every option.
HNGN's take: Ben Zobrist would be the perfect fit here. He's a respected veteran, a team player and he can fill multiple needs by stepping in at second base and multiple outfield positions. The Royals should check in with Oakland if A's GM Billy Beane is willing to sell.
