Yankees Potential Free Agent Target: Brett Gardner

Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty ImagesEarlier this month, the Yankees declined to pick up Brett Gardner’s $10 million option, opting instead to pay him a $2.5 million buyout. As the team often does with aging franchise players, the Yankees are expected to re-sign Gardner to a one-year contract, but at a cheaper price.

After having a career year in 2019, Gardner’s 2020 season was serviceable, albeit nothing to write home about. The 37-year-old outfielder played in 49 out of 60 games and eventually broke out of his slump at the end of the regular season. His hot streak balanced out his slump, so in the end Gardner actually had an above-league-average season at the plate in 2020, hitting…