Gordon may miss All-Star Game with wrist sprain

ST. PETERSBURG -- Royals left fielder Alex Gordon has a sprained right wrist, but manager Ned Yost does not expect him to go on the disabled list.

Gordon was scratched from the starting lineup against the Rays on Wednesday night, but played in the last inning as a defensive replacement in left for Raul Ibanez, who started in Gordon's place.

Still ahead for Gordon were medical tests and a visit with doctors on Thursday in Kansas City and a decision on whether or not he could play in Tuesday night's All-Star Game at Target Field. He's one of three Royals on the American League team.

But Yost insisted: "I don't think we're going to have to DL him. It's a sprained wrist. I think he's going to go in, they're going to check it and they're going to inject it, and then, he's going to have four days [during the Detroit series] and four days [during the All-Star period], and he's going to be fine. If I put him on the DL, I'll lose him for another week."

In other words, Yost is prepared to have Gordon sit out the four games against the Tigers, if necessary, then continue his recovery during the four-day All-Star break. If he'd go on the 15-day disabled list, Gordon would be out for another week after that.

"That's what we're thinking," Gordon said. "I don't think it's anything serious. I think the MRI and the X-rays are just precautionary. I'm pretty confident it's not going to be anything long-lasting."

Gordon confirmed that the main problem is in swinging a bat. He's able to throw all right and he can run. And he can patrol the outfield as he did in the ninth inning of the 5-4 victory on Wednesday night. He didn't have to make a play, however.

"We'll see. I feel good, though, I feel fine," Gordon said. "He wouldn't have put me out there if he knew it'd hurt me. I was fine out there."

Gordon is giving priority to the regular-season games over the All-Star Game for which he was selected along with catcher Salvador Perez and closer Greg Holland.

"I've got to play in these games first, so that's how I look at it. I've got to be healthy for these. I haven't even thought about the All-Star Game," Gordon said. "I want to be ready for Detroit. If I'm not, I probably shouldn't play in the All-Star Game. The main thing is play in the season games."

Yost's initial reaction was that Gordon might have to sit out the Midsummer Classic.

"I just hope this doesn't jeopardize Alex's All-Star thing, but it very well could," Yost said. "We'll just see."

Gordon injured his wrist at Cleveland and then aggravated it at Tampa Bay on Monday night.

"He did it the first time in Cleveland breaking up a double play," Yost said. "The second time, which made it much worse, was here the first night on the double he hit down the line when he slid into second base."

That came in the eighth inning of Monday night's 6-0 win and Gordon added an RBI single in the ninth. He played the entire 4-3 loss to the Rays on Tuesday night with a single in five at-bats.