New York Yankees 2020 Projections: Brett Gardner

Brett Gardner has been the unsung hero for the club over the last few seasons.

Brett Gardner has spent the last decade of his career in a Yankee uniform. The last few seasons have been the best of his career. Gardner is a true Yankee by his work ethic, determination, loyalty to the club, and doing whatever the club asks of you. He has been a bench player only to be used late in the game to steal a base or two, to bunt a runner over to the next base, or to start every game and being a durable player for the Yankees. Gardner has done it all in pinstripes.

Gardner has become a fan-favorite among the Bronx faithful because of all those attributes to his player profile.

Over the last few seasons, Gardner has evolved from a contact hitter into a left-handed power bat in the Yankees lineup. In 2019, he had a career-high in home runs (28) and RBI (74). Gardner was not supposed to have a lot of playing time last season as he was supposed to be the fourth outfielder behind Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks, and Giancarlo Stanton. However, due to injuries to all three players, Gardner’s playing time escalated. As usual, Gardner was up for the challenge and was always ready to deliver whenever the Yankees needed him.

Gardner has been so productive for the Yankees during the regular season, but it is the complete opposite when it comes to the postseason. He has struggled throughout his career with the Yankees in the postseason. However, he has delivered in critical moments, including last season against the Twins in the clinching third game of the ALDS with a clutch RBI early in the game to help silence the Minnesota crowd.

Gardner will most likely be starting most of the shortened 2020 season because Hicks, Judge, and Mike Tauchman are recovering from injures. Despite his age (he’ll turn 37 in August), Gardner is up to the challenge of starting more games this season and will contribute.

Gardner should benefit the most from the short season due to his age, and a lot of the players injured will be back soon. So his playing time should change only a little but will also give the Yankees a variety of options to keep their lineup playing consistently.

I am a huge fan of Brett Gardner, and I hope that he still gets a lot of playing time in 2020 because he has deserved the chance to do so. I am expecting a successful from this team, and Gardner will have a hand in contributing to a potential 28th World Series title.