New York Yankees: Brett Gardner and the difficult conversation ahead
If New York Yankees OF Brett Gardner wants to continue playing in MLB he may have to find a new team.
At 37 years-old, Brett Gardner has stated he wants to play again next season. The New York Yankees can pick up his team option for $10M or they can choose to buy him out at $2.5M.
Does anyone remember how the Bernie Williams situation ended? Could be the same scenario for Gardner.
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Similar to Williams, Gardner has only played with the one team which drafted him. A third-round pick in 2005, Gardner has spent 13 major league seasons in the Bronx.
After a dismal 2018 campaign, many thought he’d be gone once his contract expired the following year. Gardner rebounded though and hit a career-high 28 home runs while driving in a career-best 74 runs.
This production made the decision to bring him back all the easier. The 2020 season has not gone as well. Gardner has only started three games where his batting average has been higher than the Mendoza Line. He was down as low as .165 a week ago before a recent “hot” streak has carried him out of the doldrums a little.
Gardner has split time in the outfield with Aaron Hicks in center, and Mike Tauchman in left. Neither of the latter has excelled offensively this year either.
For the money the team would save if they were to buy out Gardner, they could address other areas of the team. A healthy Aaron Judge will roam right field, which pushes a talented Clint Frazier to left field, where he has only played in three games all year.
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As much a part of the Yankees team and tradition Brett Gardner is, he is no longer the player he once was. His production is not good enough to keep him on the field and he is too expensive to have on the team as a fourth outfielder. There is a tough conversation coming and it is the one which leaves Gardner on his way out of town.