Brett Gardner was resigned by the New York Yankees prior to the 2019 season to be the fourth outfielder. However, due to injuries, he was thrusted back into a starting spot and took advantage of it, having one of his best seasons.
Now in 2020, he’s back again on a new deal. Aaron Hicks will miss a large portion of the season due to Tommy John surgery, meaning that Brett Gardner will have a chance to be a starter again. That’s if he can beat out the likes of Mike Tauchman and Clint Frazier in the spring.
Can Gardner have another season like 2019?
Career High Power Numbers
In 2019, Gardner had a career high 28 home runs and 74 RBIs in 141 games. His average was a bit lower than some years, .251, but was pretty effective overall.
He also had career highs in OPS and Slugging.
But with how the game has changed over the last few years, it isn’t surprising that Gardner has had increased power numbers. Most players have had their power numbers go up of late. Players that haven’t had their numbers go up are considered almost falling behind.
With DJ LeMahieu joining the Yankees, it took Gardner out of the lead off spot. Skipper Aaron Boone experimented with him in different spots in the order, but got him comfortable batting in the 6 or 7 spot.
The main problem with his offense is his consistency. He is such a streaky hitter, and that holds him back when he is struggling. When he’s bad, he’s really bad.
On defense, he spent more time in center than usual, playing 98 games there compared to 45 in left. His glove has always been good, it’s just a question of whether his arm is strong enough.
Now, can Gardner have the same success that he did in 2019? Could it of been a fluke? What if success came from juiced baseballs? Can he stay healthy?