Terrance Gore, a speedy outfielder who played for three World Series champions, has died

Terrance Gore, a speedy outfielder who played for three World Series champions while spending parts of eight seasons in the major leagues, has died. He was 34.

Chad Funderburk, a family friend who also worked with Gore through his baseball academy, confirmed Gore died Friday night. He deferred to Gore's family in terms of providing any further details.

While Gore was known for his athleticism, Funderburk said he was “a much kinder human.”

“Just a giving, giving man to so many youth. ... That's just who Terrance was,” Funderburk said.

Gore, a Georgia native, was selected by Kansas City in the 20th round of the 2011 amateur draft. He batted .216, scored 33 runs and swiped 43 bags in 52 attempts over 112 regular-season games with the Royals, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets.

“Terrance was an unforgettable part of our organization with a unique talent that catapulted him to some of the biggest moments in Royals history,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said in a team statement. “While his speed and athleticism were what most people immediately noticed, those of us who had the opportunity to know him also remember his energy, his humility, and the impact he made in big moments on the game’s biggest stage.”

Gore was mostly used as a pinch runner and defensive replacement. He made his debut with the Royals in 2014 and stole 23 bases before he got his first hit, a single to center for the Cubs against Max Scherzer in the ninth inning of a 10-3 loss at Washington on Sept. 8, 2018.

Gore appeared in two postseason games during Kansas City's championship run in 2015. He played in two regular-season games when the Dodgers won the World Series in 2020. He appeared in one NL playoff game with Atlanta in 2021, and the Braves went on to win the World Series.

“Terrance brought a high level of excitement and anticipation to the game,” former Royals executive Dayton Moore said. "He was unstoppable as a base stealer, and he inspired athletes throughout our country to pursue baseball. He was loved and respected by his very special teammates, who will continue to love his family during this time of sadness.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

FILE - Kansas City Royals' Terrance Gore holds out a baseball he autographed for a fan prior to a spring training exhibition baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Sunday, March 15, 2015, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)

FILE - Kansas City Royals' Terrance Gore bats during the third inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 4, 2019, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File(

FILE - Kansas City Royals' Terrance Gore (0) celebrates in the dugout after scoring on a double by Alex Gordon during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2014, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

The Las Vegas Aces are set to run it back with the core group that helped them win the WNBA championship last year — the franchise's third in four seasons.

The Aces have agreed to deals with Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young, according to people familiar with the negotiations. Jewell Loyd is finalizing a deal, according to a different person familiar with the situation.

All three people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Friday because they weren't authorized to speak publicly about the signings until the deals become official. None of the deals can be signed until Saturday.

The trio are free agents, along with four-time league MVP A'ja Wilson, who has said she planned on returning to the Aces.

ESPN was the first to report the deals.

Gray and Young have been there for the entire run of success by the Aces since they won their first championship in 2022. Gray, who has won four titles in her career — including one in Los Angeles — averaged 11.2 points, 5.4 assists and 3.9 rebounds for the Aces last year while playing in all 44 regular-season games. She was limited to 27 games a year earlier because of injuries.

Young averaged 16.5 points, 5.1 assists and 4.5 rebounds for the Aces last season. Las Vegas selected her with the No. 1 pick in the 2019 draft.

Loyd was acquired in a trade from Seattle before last season and was a key part of Las Vegas' championship run. She averaged 11.2 points and came off the bench for the first time in her career. She helped Seattle win titles in 2018 and 2020. The six-time All-Star led the league in scoring in 2023.

This has been a busy offseason since the league and the players' union signed a transformational labor deal that saw average salaries rise nearly fourfold. Players can earn over $1 million annually for the first time in league history, which is more than four times the previous maximum salary. More than 80% of players in the league are free agents.

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

FILE - Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray (12) and guard Jackie Young (0) look on during the second half of Game 4 of a WNBA basketball playoff semifinal against the Seattle Storm, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson, File)