The Royals have designated outfielder Terrance Gore for assignment, tweets Alec Lewis of The Athletic. His roster spot will go to fellow outfielder Bubba Starling, whose promotion to the Major Leagues was announced by the Royals yesterday.
Gore, 28, was the surprise recipient of a big league contract with Kansas City this offseason, as the Royals built a roster teeming with speed and stolen base capabilities. Gore performed as well as could have been expected in an extremely limited role. One of baseball’s fastest players, Gore appeared in 37 games but tallied just 57 plate appearances. He turned in a solid .275/.362/.353 line in that brief set of work but provided most of his value as a pinch runner and defensive replacement; Gore went 13-for-18 in stolen base attempts and played 132 innings in the outfield with solid defensive marks.
However, carrying both Gore and Billy Hamilton in limited roles was likely deemed redundant by the front office. With Starling likely ticketed for regular playing time, that arrangement would’ve been the only way to keep Gore on the roster. He’ll fall victim to the DFA hammer, then, with Kansas City opting to keep Hamilton despite the fact that he hasn’t produced whatsoever at the plate (.217/.284/.271 in 267 plate appearances). Veteran first baseman Lucas Duda, too, appeared a potential risk for losing his roster spot but will outlast Gore and stick around for the time being.
matt41265
I’d be nice if the Mets picked him up but don’t think they would
ExileInLA 2
Why? To trade him at the deadline? Who would you send down to make room on the 25?
matt41265
Better then Lagares
chicagofan1978
Just in time for a contender to get him
DarkSide830
Klentak get it done! Alexis Rivera and Drew Anderson for him.
justin33broja
Which contender shall pick him up
Royalsfan12
Why is Dayton Moore so hesitant to DFA Duda?
TLB2001
I believe all of his caught stealing (maybe 4 of the 5) were pick offs.
TheMichigan
Yeah, I think he’s a talented base stealer but he’s not a very good base runner.
bobtillman
Not much of a player…but a good Vice-President…and he had that great song in the 60’s…..
agentx
Hiking and skiing in extreme conditions would be much more difficult without all that great winter gear that he invented, too.
clrrogers 2
Classy move by the Royals. Releasing him now gives him a chance to catch on with a contender to help for the stretch run and possibly the playoffs (with defense and pinch-running). That’s what Gore does best.
DarkSide830
they could have traded him and gotten something in returm though.
clrrogers 2
I thought the same thing. Have to assume they tried and got no takers. Someone will pick him up now though since they won’t have to give up anything for him.
bigun
Not sure he has much value in a trade. Completely one dimensional.
solaris602
The Giants aren’t contenders, but they’ll still be all over this.
PapiElf
Please. A moment of silence for all of those who have tread the outfield grass of AT&T and now Oracle Park in the past two seasons.
RIP:
Michael Reed
Connor Joe
Mike Gerber
Yangervis Solarte
Mac Williamson
Gerardo Parra
Andrew McCutchen
Gorkys Hernandez (you will be missed)
Hunter Pence
Gregor Blanco
Austin Jackson
Alen Hanson
Chris Shaw
Thank you
You all will probably get forgotten by August.
SFGiants74
Shaw, Jackson and Gerber are still in the organization.
PapiElf
Austin Jackson is a free agent.
PapiElf
Do you mean Michael Reed?
SFGiants74
Why? He can’t hit.
solaris602
That never mattered before when the Giants went stopgap shopping for OFs. If it ain’t workin’, don’t fix it 😉
dcrising
A bit surprised they didn’t DFA Hamilton instead – agree it didn’t make sense for them to carry both he and Gore. Gore looked competent at the plate and is (from the eye test) just as fast as Hamilton. Maybe Moore thinks Hamilton could still get something back in a trade(?), but no team wants a guy that can’t get on base. I’d expect a contending team to take a flier on Gore, if not simply as a pinch runner.
astrosfan4life
I don’t watch many KC games but his stats would lead me to believe that he’s a better option than Hamilton. So why not DFA Hamilton and keep him?
hiflew
Because there is likely more to it than just stats. Teams don’t just look at numbers and make decisions. They actually watch both players during practices. They actually physically talk to the players. They see them in the clubhouse. Those types of things do not show up in the stats.
ottomatic
practices? lol
bigun
I think they believe that they can trade Hamilton.
Robertowannabe
He will not outlast the waiver process because of how little his contract is. That contract is why the chose him over Hamilton because the still owe Hamilton over 2 million and since the team is going nowhere, might as well get at least something for the investment.
agentx
Sunk cost fallacy at work with Hamilton?
andrewf
Should have dumped Duda.
bigun
I concur.
ehoop99
Why are we keeping Duda?! Gore would be third on list of players to get rid of after craptastic duda and Hamilton. What dirt does duda have o. Moore? Unbelievable!
jedwards816
Gore had no real trade value in terms of getting an asset back. Seems like Dayton Moore did Gore a solid by DFAing him now. He can go sign a minors deal with a contender and be added to the roster in time to be postseason eligible.
bigun
I think you may be exactly right.
Effinstephen
We have 10 days to trade or release him now that he is DFA mayb there is already something in the works ♂️
ExileInLA 2
I think it’s 7 days now.