KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – SEPTEMBER 24: Salvador Perez #13 of the Kansas City Royals rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run during the 1st inning of the game against the Detroit Tigers at Kauffman Stadium on September 24, 2020 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Savlador Perez paid tribute to Alex Gordon on his home run trot on Thursday evening.
On Thursday, Kansas City Royals fans woke up to the news of outfielder Alex Gordon announcing his retirement from MLB after 14-years with the organization. Gordon will officially hang up his cleats at the conclusion of Kansas City’s regular-season this upcoming weekend, where he said he wants to spend more time with his family. Gordon rose to prominence during the great seasons the Royals had in 2014 and 2015, where he helped the Royals win their second-ever World Series the latter year. With Gordon stepping away, a career-long teammate decided to pay tribute to him.
In the bottom of the first inning of Kansas City’s game against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday, catcher Salvador Perez belted a three-run home run off pitcher Michael Fulmer. As he rounded first base, Perez perfectly imitated Gordon’s finger-point poise.
Perez honors his friend
Gordon was selected with the second-overall pick of the 2005 MLB Draft. Meanwhile, Perez signed as an international free agent one year after Gordon was drafted. Gordon had been in the big leagues since 2007, before Perez finally received his major league call-up in 2011. And the two have been teammates ever since.
Gordon and Perez made it to the All-Star Game in three-consecutive years together (2013-15). More importantly, they both played a role in the Royals making an improbable run to the World Series in 2014 but ultimately fell to the San Francisco Giants in seven games. They knew what it took to reach the big game, and they were able to hoist the Commissioner’s Trophy the following season after beating the New York Mets in five games.
Gordon opted to sign a one-year deal with the Royals prior to the season, because he wanted to continue to play with his teammates for one more run to the playoffs. That ultimately didn’t happen this year, and Gordon is choosing to walk away for a more important reason: to spend more time with his family.
With Perez spending three more games with Gordon by his side, he decided to honor him in the best way possible. Don’t forget, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.