He’s back: Brett Gardner returning to Yankees on one-year deal worth $12.5 million.
“There’s significance in so many ways. He’s been on the team longer than anyone else. The constant that he is means a lot to the organization, as well as the production on the field.”
SANDIEGO— The Yankees got a bargain last year when they signed Brett Gardner to a reduced contract and brought him back as a fourth outfielder and veteran presences to help a young clubhouse. With injuries to Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, it worked out that the 36-year-old was their most consistent outfielder.
And now, with Hicks missing the start of the season and Gardner producing last year, the Bombers will pay to bring him back for 2020.
The Yankees and Garnder agreed to a deal worth $12.5 million for 2020 and an option for 2021 that would pay him $10 million, a source confirmed on Thursday morning, the final day of the annual MLB Winter Meetings. The deal is not finalized, but Yankees assistant GM Mike Fishman made it clear that the Yankees not only valued Gardner’s presence in the clubhouse, but his consistent season in 2018.
“There’s significance in so many
— Yankees assistant GM Mike Fishman on Brett Gardner
ways. He’s been on the team longer than anyone else. The constant that he is means a lot to the organization, as well as the production on the field,” said Fishman filling in for GM Brian Cashman after the Rule 5 Draft. “He’s coming off one of his best seasons, not just in the additional power he had last year but the continued excellent defense that he’s displayed throughout his career. He’s a big part of our team.”
In 2019, after the Yankees had declined an option for $12 million, Gardner was a much bigger part of the team than even the Yankees expected. With Hicks missing the majority of the 2019 season with a back issue and then an elbow injury
that forced him to have offseason Tommy John surgery, Gardner played 98 games at center field last season.
Even with the heavier-than-expected workload, Gardner hit a career-high 28 home runs and drove in a career-high 74 runs in 141 games.
Part of the reason the Yankees were targeting Gardner for a backup role and left-handed bat in a heavily right-handed lineup last winter was that he showed a significant dropoff in the second half of the 2018 season. Gardner invested in new, smarter offseason workouts last winter and nutrition to try and prepare for a consistent 2019.