KANSAS CITY, Mo. – There was good news about Royals outfielder Alex Gordon's condition prior to Friday's game: He did not suffer a concussion.
"Doctors said I was clear to go," Gordon said. "I did all the tests and passed them all."
But Gordon, who suffered the injury when he crashed into the left-field wall during Wednesday night's 6-5 win over Cleveland, isn't sure when he will return to the lineup. He was not in the starting lineup against the A's on Friday.
"I could play today," Gordon said. "The bruise on my butt is not too great, so it's day to day. I'm not in the lineup today but we'll see tomorrow."
Might Gordon be available to pinch-hit?
"Honestly I don't know," Gordon said. "It's up to Ned (Yost) and the trainers."
Yost said the Royals still would use caution with Gordon.
"We have submitted the paperwork to Major League Baseball and they need their medical expert to sign off on it," Yost said. "And then they will return word to us. That could be as early as today or as late as tomorrow.
"It could be a couple days, depending on how he feels in the cage and after he stretches."
Gordon simply is relieved he did not have a concussion, which could have landed him on the disabled list.
"Absolutely, it's a relief," he said. "Obviously (a concussion) is a serious thing so we followed all the rules to make sure I'm clear and that's where we are."
Gordon also reports he isn't feeling any after effects, such as headaches.
"After the last two games (both Royals wins), I'm feeling no headaches," he said, smiling.
Gordon did hit in the indoor cages prior to Friday's game. And he's anxious to return.
"Absolutely. Everyone in here wants to play every day," he said. "That's how I feel. "
The contusion, by the way, is near the same area where he had hip surgery in 2009.
"But it's not the hip," Gordon said. "It's the rear end part. Pretty bad bruise, that's all."
You can follow Jeffrey Flanagan on Twitter at @jflanagankc or email him at jeffreyflanagan6@gmail.com
