In an effort to try and round out their batting order, the Toronto Blue Jays reportedly offered lefty Brett Gardner a one-year, $6-million deal, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports.
Gardner, 38, has spent his entire 14-year career with the New York Yankees and the offer from the Jays came after the lockout ended, Rosenthal reported citing unnamed sources.
He appeared in 140 games last year for the Yankees slashing .222/.327/.367 while smashing 10 home runs and 39 RBI’s.
If Brett Gardner is going to play again, it likely will only be for the Yankees, the team that drafted him in the third round out of the College of Charleston in 2005. And now that the Yankees seemingly have moved on from the free-agent outfielder, it appears his 14-year career might be over.
Gardner, 38, turned down a one-year, $6 million offer from the Blue Jays after the conclusion of the lockout, sources said. More recently, the Braves gauged his interest after learning outfielder Eddie Rosario would miss eight-to-12 weeks while recovering from a laser procedure to correct blurred vision and swelling in his right eye. Gardner declined to pursue the opportunity.
If this is it for Gardner, he will retire with 1,470 hits, 274 stolen bases and 139 home runs. He appeared in 140 or more games 10 times, including what might have been his final season in 2021. A World Series champion in 2009, All-Star in 2015 and Gold Glove winner in 2016, he also tied for the American League lead with 49 stolen bases in 2011 and hit a career-high 28 homers in 2019.
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.