Longtime Yankee Wants To Return in 2022

Not too sure how New York Yankees fans will feel about this, but at 38 years old, the longest-serving Yankee says he wants to return for a 15th season. And he wants to do it in pinstripes.

A Brett Gardner reunion can still help Yankees under right circumstances https://t.co/RvfyoOu4Fm pic.twitter.com/ls1azFaL4O
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) February 26, 2022

Yes, Yankee fans, Brett Gardner says he wants to play in 2022. He is a free agent, but has known no other franchise in his 14-year MLB career. And he's the only connection to the storied franchise's last World Series win in 2009.

Gardner hasn't played less than 140 games in a full Yankee season since 2012. However, he's slipped to a .222 average the past two seasons, and his days as a productive offensive player are done.

When Gardner's agent was asked by Joel Sherman of the New York Post if Gardner would be open to playing anywhere other than the Bronx if he were play this season, the reply was “Yes. But would obviously prefer to stay with the NYY the entirety of his career.”

Many Yankees fans are not exactly on board with bringing back the aging outfielder, as Sherman notes. "Gardner has become a polarizing figure among a not small subset of Yankees fans. His presence and regular play have been viewed as the organization not being willing to do better than him."

He posits, however, that Gardner can still provide decent enough outfield play to serve as a viable 4th outfielder—somewhere. He did post a .791 OPS over the final two months of the season.

Yankee fans... your thoughts?

The year is 2040. Florida has sunk into the Atlantic. Jeff Bezos has established a breakaway nation on Mars. Brett Gardner is still starting for the Yankees.
— Colt (@coltalvi) February 26, 2022