With Aaron Hicks returning from his second season-ending injury in three years, the New York Yankees decided not to bring back Brett Gardner for center field depth. This was probably the right decision. Gardy gave the club fourteen outstanding seasons, but there was no punch remaining in his bat by the end of last year.
Hicks was excellent for the team, albeit with limited availability, from 2017 to 2020. His 123 wRC+ was sixth-best among MLB center fielders during that stretch (minimum 1,000 PA). He was rewarded with a seven-year extension that began in 2019, but back and arm injuries cut that season short.