Yankees getting little offensive production from Brett Gardner

Though it’s sacrilege to say anything negative about the closest thing the Yankees currently have to a captain, Brett Gardner; his bat has gone ice cold over the past month.

Brett Gardner has earned his pinstripes. Across 11 seasons with the Yankees, he’s been a pillar of consistency. A World Champion in 2009, Gardner would go on to make his lone All-Star Game appearance in 2015 and win a Gold Glove one year later.

Never the most electrifying guy on the ballclub, Gardy has gone about his routine business — never warranting much criticism from fans or concern from management. Until now.

At 35, he’s no longer capable of doing the offensive things the Yankees have come to count on. With the glove, he’s still fantastic — making only two errors in 230 chances, while adding two assists for a .991 fielding percentage.

However, with his contract set to expire at the conclusion of this season (the Yankees do hold a one-year, $12.5 million option or $2 million buyout), Brett Gardner’s day with Yanks could be coming to an end.

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With Greg Bird getting much of the negative press these days, and rightfully so, Gardy’s been mostly shielded from his horrendous August.

Over the past 30 games, the Yankee lead-off man (against right-handers) is slashing .202/.283/.316 with 18 runs scored, two home runs and five RBIs in 114 at-bats while striking out 21 percent of the time. His two previous months didn’t eclipse 11.5 percent.

Those that hold on-base percentage in such high esteem, especially when it comes to Gardner, have nowhere to turn in his defense. On July 9, he was batting .260 with an OBP of .352.

The traditionally durable outfielder has played in 119 games thus far. During that span, he’s hitting .237/.328/.368 with 80 runs scored, 17 doubles, four homers and 38 RBIs. No one expects substantial power numbers from No. 11, but the rest?

Back to his OBP, which at .328 ranks him seventh on the club regarding hitters with over 300 at-bats. Although his K:BB ratio is 87:58 as compared to last season’s 122:72 — .328 ranks him 37th among qualified hitters in the AL. 

Yes, Brett Gardner offers a veteran presence — and aside from wins and losses, that can’t be measured in a statistical category. And yes, it’s a long season, and the weather in August is terrible. And no, manager Aaron Boone can ill-afford to take Gardner out of the lineup — not until Aaron Judge or Clint Frazier return, potentially freeing up the newly acquired Andrew McCutchen to man left field.

But, those are all excuses. And for the folks that have followed Gardner’s career in pinstripes — they know he is not the type to pass the buck. So let’s hope Gardy get’s things going in September (and October) — enough that he’ll have the opportunity to prove he deserves another go-around in the Bronx in 2019.