The New York Yankees have officially brought back Brett Gardner for another year. After twelve seasons with the organization, Gardner will return for his thirteenth after agreeing to a one-year, $12.5 million contract to stay with the organization. Having been with the Yankees since 2008, Gardner expressed interest in returning to the organization immediately after hitting free agency. Jeff Passan of ESPN tweeted out the agreement and financials crediting George Kingill of the New York Post as also being one of the first to break the news.
Outfielder Brett Gardner and the New York Yankees are in agreement on a one-year, $12.5 million deal that includes a club option for $10 million, a source tells ESPN. First with the news was @GeorgeAKingIII.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 12, 2019
Brett Gardner and the Yankees have agreed on a one year deal for $12.5 million. There is an option for a second year that is worth $20 million.
— George A. King III (@GeorgeAKingIII) December 12, 2019
Gardner will be back in the pinstripes in 2020 and have a $10 million option with the club in 2021 to make it fourteen straight years in the Bronx. In terms of statistical output, in 2019 Gardner played in 141 games for the Yankees where he hit .251/.503/.325 with 28 home runs and 74 RBI on the year. Gardner offers some less needed support in the Yankees lineup that is chock-full of phenomenal hitters. He will rejoin an outfield that will get to see Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton healthy again in 2020.
The Yankees just went out and spent $324 million on signing starting pitcher Gerrit Cole so a one-year $12.5 million contract with Gardner must seem like nothing. They are trying to fill in the gaps they feel they have so that they can return to the postseason and hopefully piece it together for a shot a World Series championship in the near future.
