Brett Gardner is a free agent once again. The veteran outfielder declined the player option on his contract and the Yankees declined to pick up their option, opting instead to buy him out. Veteran right-hander Darren O’Day also opted out and is a free agent.
Gardner, 38, has played all 14 years in the big leagues with the Bombers and was the team’s last active player to win a World Series. The player option on his contract was $2.3 million for 2022, the Yankees had the option of paying him $7.18 million next year or buying him out for $1.5 million
This does not prevent the Yankees from bringing Gardner back on another contract and he indicated that would be his preference after the season.
“I hope that I’m back next season,” he said. “I hope that I’m back in that room, and I hope that I’m in Tampa come February, but there’s obviously a long time between now and then, a lot of things that need to get figured out. We’ll see what happens.”
Gardner played a much bigger role than expected this season. After Aaron Hicks went down with a season-ending wrist injury that required surgery in May and Clint Frazier struggled and then went on the injured list with dizziness, Gardner became an everyday player. He had been expected to be a fourth outfielder and veteran voice in the clubhouse.
Instead, Gardner played 140 games this year, slashing .222/,327/.362 with 10 homers and 39 RBI. For the second straight year, Gardner had a resurgence at the end of the year.
After hitting .194 with three home runs and 13 RBI in 87 games during the first half of the season, Gardner hit .267 with seven doubles, five homers and 20 RBI in 49 games in August and September.
Gardner said after the Yankees loss in the American League Wild Card Game that he would have to talk over his future with his family. After the 2020 abbreviated COVID-19 season, Gardner had said he had contemplated retirement, but did not want to end his career in an empty ballpark with no crowds and his family not able to be with him. This season, Gardner said he made a point to include his family on road trips and soak in the experience in case it was indeed his last season in the big leagues.
But the 12-year drought since the Yankees last won a World Series makes it very hard for him to consider hanging up his cleats.
Each year that goes by that we don’t make it, it’s obviously a little tougher,” Gardner said. “You just don’t know how many more opportunities you’re going to get.”
The Yankees outfield is fairly crowded, but not exactly set in stone.
Aaron Judge is obviously the right fielder and Giancarlo Stanton proved this last season he is able to play in the outfield well if only part time. Hicks has had a history of injuries that requires the Yankees bring in someone as insurance at that position. The Yankees hope that Frazier is healthy heading into spring training, though there is no real clarity on that, but he has lost his starting left field spot to Joey Gallo for now. While the lefty-slugging Gallo seemed like a good fit on paper with his good defense, high on-base and home run numbers, he had a rough introduction to the Bombers. They also have prospect Estevan Florial, a lefty-slugging center fielder with a high strike out rate, and Miguel Andujar, who they have moved to the outfield from third.
O’Day, 39, is recovering from hamstring surgery.. He had a $1.4 million player option, but the Yankees can buy him out for $700,000. The side-armer pitched in just 12 games this season because of injuries.
Reliever Joely Rodriguez is the only other Yankee with an option. The deadline for option decisions is five days after the conclusion of the World Series.
