Terrance Gore Played Years Before Getting a Hit

Terrance Gore, a pinch-running specialist whose speed made him a postseason weapon long before he got his first big league hit, has died. He was 34. Gore's wife, Britney, posted that he died Friday after complications from a routine surgery, per USA Today. Listed at 5-foot-7 and 160 pounds, Gore carved out an unusual eight-year major league career built almost entirely on his legs. Drafted by the Royals in the 20th round in 2011, he became a designated runner during Kansas City's 2014-15 run as back-to-back American League champions. Gore stole 17 straight bases before being caught, helped the Royals win the 2015 World Series in just his second season.

He didn't record his first major league hit until 2018 with the Chicago Cubs—a single off Max Scherzer. "I know I'm really fast," he told the Kansas City Star in 2014. "And it's going to take a perfect throw." Gore later played for the Dodgers, Braves, and Mets, appearing in the 2021 NLDS for Atlanta. After the Braves clinched that World Series, he video-called injured pitcher Charlie Morton from the on-field celebration so Morton could share the moment. After retiring without a major league home run and with just one RBI, Gore settled in Panama City, Florida, working as a speed and baseball trainer. JJ Picollo, Royals president of baseball operations, called Gore "an unforgettable part of our organization whose energy and humility matched his speed."