Yankees News: Brett Gardner indicates 2021 could be his last season

There was a split second where the New York Yankees parting ways with Brett Gardner was a possibility, but of course, the veteran outfielder and his career club found a way to re-connect. Last week, the Yankees officially signed Gardner back on a one-year deal with a club option for 2022.

At 37 years old, Gardner will likely impact the team as a depth player, as skipper Aaron Boone has already stated that Clint Frazier will likely start in left field this season. While Gardy has a hard time believing he won’t be playing every day anymore, he will fight for reps regardless.

During the off-season, Brett waited patiently for the Yankees to offer him a new deal, but he was open to the idea of exploring free agency, despite the fact that he preferred to return to the Bronx.

“I wouldn’t say [I did] a lot of exploring,’’ Gardner said of his free agency. “Obviously, it took a long time for things to work out, but I was hopeful the whole time. I’ve never been shy about wanting to finish my career here. I was asked from the get-go to be patient and I was patient.”

Clearly, things worked out in his favor, as Gardner will earn $5.15 million for the 2021 season, a bit less than the $10 million he would’ve earned if the Yankees picked up his option for this year.

When Gardy was asked about his new two-year deal, and if it could be his last, he responded with:

“I’d say that’s pretty safe,” Gardner said.

“We’ve been talking about this for the last two to three years,” Gardner said of the end of his career. “I’ll obviously be 38 in August. There are no guarantees. You never know what’s around the corner, never know what to expect.”

If Gardy was to retire today, he will have played 13 straight years for the Yankees, with his inception coming in 2008. He has proven to be an elite defender and a consistent base runner, utilizing his speed. We hope Gardner has never been a slugger, he had a career-high 28 HRs in 2019.

Finishing his career in pinstripes has always been his dream, and it seems like it will come true sooner rather than later.