The Gardy party is on in 2021, as the Gardner has planted his first of the season.
Brett Gardner batted ninth for the Yankees against the Phillies at Steinbrenner Field on Sunday, and came up for his first at-bat with the bases loaded and no one out in the second and did this:
The dimensions in right field at Steinbrenner Field are the same as Yankee Stadium, so that was a no-doubter for a man who hit 28 dingers in his last full season of 2019.
“We didn’t bring him back as a reward for what he’s done in the past, we brought him back because we think he’s going to impact us in the present,” GM Brian Cashman said of Gardner Friday. “We know he can and we know he will; as long as he stays healthy, he’s going to help us a lot.”
That grand slam also contributed to one of the first “carryover” innings the Yankees have seen this season. MLB rule changes this spring allow a manager to end an inning after his pitcher has thrown at least 20 pitches, which is what Phillies manager Joe Girardi did after Zack Wheeler struck out Aaron Judge for the second out of that second inning.
No such need for Yankees starter Jordan Montgomery, who threw 42 pitches over three scoreless innings, retiring the first six Phillies in a row before working around two straight singles in the third.
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