The Kansas City Royals won't be losing Alex Gordon without compensation.
The club has extended a qualifying offer to the outfielder, who declined his $12.5-million player option Wednesday.
Teams can offer their pending free agents a one-year, $15.8-million deal within five days of the conclusion of the World Series, and Gordon now has seven days to either accept or reject the offer.
It's extremely likely Gordon will decline the qualifying offer (no player has ever accepted one) in favor of seeking a long-term deal on the free-agent market, but the move ensures the Royals receive draft-pick compensation if he signs elsewhere.
Gordon, a four-time Gold Glover, hit .271/.377/.432 with 13 home runs and 48 RBIs in 104 games for the World Series champions.
