It’s April 11, the Yankees are three games into their 2022 season, and the Yankees have already deployed all four of their outfielders in the actual outfield, with three more options lying in wait at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
And yet, general manager Brian Cashman still wouldn’t rule out the possibility of one more go-round for Brett Gardner in pinstripes.
“He’s been a great Yankee, just a very difficult offseason because of the interruption, and you’re drinking out of a firehouse when the lockout gets lifted,” Cashman told Carton & Roberts on WFAN Monday. “The last few years, he’s been someone we’ve waited to deal with until towards the end (of the offseason), and the way it has played out so far, there wasn’t a spot.”
It’s Judge, Stanton, Hicks, and Gallo for now, with Andujar, Locastro, and veteran non-roster player Ender Inciarte in Triple-A, so the Yankees are covered – but that’s been the case in the past before, and yet, you still end up sometimes with someone like, say, career infielder and journeyman like Jace Peterson starting in left field in April.
But, as Cashman alluded to, Gardner actually had the chance to be back, and chose to risk it.
“He had a player option for this year, so there was a spot,” Cashman said. “He chose to opt out, and that set up a course of action on how it all started to play out. Other transactions affected things in the current time frame.”
Related
Gardner has drawn interest from other teams in recent years, notably the Blue Jays, and could still be in demand this year after playing 140 games last year and posting a 1.0 WAR. Given that Hicks is coming off a major injury and Gallo is 1-for-10 with four strikeouts, opportunity could exist for Gardner – or another free agent, like, say, Michael Conforto – to come aboard at some point soon.
“I think free agent rules still apply (for Conforto), but we expect big things from Hicks and Gallo this year, because they’re really talented and capable of it,” Cashman said. “Hopefully we don’t have to pursue any outside options, but I know there are plenty of options out there in the free agent market, and the trade market is obviously something we’re capable with. You never say never to anything.”
Follow WFAN's afternoon team on Twitter: @CartonRoberts, @EvanRobertsWFAN, @TommyLugauer, and @CMacWFAN
Follow WFAN on Social Media
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitch