The baseball world lost one of its most unique weapons on Saturday. Terrance Gore, the speedster who terrorized opposing pitchers for nearly a decade despite rarely picking up a bat, died at age 34 from complications following routine surgery.

The Numbers That Defy Logic

Gore's statistics tell a story unlike any other in modern baseball. In just 112 regular-season games and 11 postseason appearances, he stole 48 bases in 58 attempts.

That is an 82.7% success rate. He accomplished this with only 85 career plate appearances. His batting average was .216. He hit exactly one home run in 2,585 minor league plate appearances.

Yet playoff teams coveted him every September. The Kansas City Royals, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Mets all added him to their rosters solely to run.

'The Game Was Over'

Dave Roberts knows this role better than anyone. He stole that famous base for the 2004 Boston Red Sox against Mariano Rivera. When Gore joined his Dodgers in 2020, Roberts recognized the same fearless mentality.

'Very sad to wake up and hear this,' Roberts said. 'He was as confident a base stealer as I've ever been around.'

Buck Showalter, who managed Gore with the 2022 Mets, put it simply: 'If the score was tied and you got him into the game to run, it was like the game was over.'

Showalter explained the strategic nightmare Gore created. 'We knew we couldn't throw him out,' he recalled. 'He was a light slider. If you just worked at trying to throw him out, forget it, it wasn't going to happen.'

From 20th Round to Postseason Hero

Gore was the 606th player selected in the 2011 draft. The 20th round. Out of Gulf Coast State College in Panama, Florida.

He nearly quit in Single-A. Former Royals GM Dayton Moore remembered Mike Sweeney and Lonnie Goldberg talking him out of it. 'He wasn't satisfied with just being known for base stealing,' Moore said. 'He worked extremely hard at trying to be an everyday guy.'

He never became an everyday player. But for eight seasons, no one changed late-game baseball strategy quite like Terrance Gore.

He leaves behind his wife Britney and three children.