Outfielder Alex Gordon exercised his $23-million mutual option for 2020, but the Kansas City Royals declined it, the team announced Friday.
The Royals bought Gordon out for $4 million and are reportedly hoping to bring him back on a cheaper deal, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.
Gordon, a three-time All-Star and six-time Gold Glove winner, previously signed a four-year, $72-million contract with the Royals in 2016.
The move makes the 35-year-old franchise icon a free agent after spending his entire 13-year career with Kansas City. Gordon told Royals general manager Dayton Moore in mid-September that he's thinking about retiring and that he'd make a decision during the winter.
Gordon and the Royals made back-to-back trips to the World Series in 2014 and 2015, winning a championship in the latter year.
The second overall pick in the 2005 draft has a career .258/.339/.413 slash line with 186 home runs and 738 RBIs in 1,703 games with Kansas City.
