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New York Yankees: 5 Potential Destinations For Brett Gardner

By Kenneth Teape

Jul 31, 2016; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner (11) singles during the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 31, 2016; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner (11) singles during the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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New York Yankees: 5 Potential Destinations For Brett Gardner
Sep 29, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy (15) congratulates relief pitcher Sergio Romo (54) after the end of the game against the Colorado Rockies at AT&T Park San Francisco Giants defeated the Colorado Rockies 7 to 2. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports /

San Francisco Giants

The Giants could be in the market for a left fielder. In late October it did not look like the Giants were going to retain last season’s left fielder Angel Pagan. If that report is still true, they will be in the market for one and Gardner could fit the bill.

Pagan was solid for the Giants last season. He slashed .278/.336/.414 with 11 home runs, 50 RBI, and 15 stolen bases. Those are comparable numbers to Gardner, so the Giants wouldn’t be losing much at the plate. Pagan also provided decent defense in left field, actually better than Gardner depending on which metrics you are looking at.

The only real difference between Pagan and Gardner is their age. Pagan is 35 while Gardner is 33. The question for the Giants is if they want to upgrade the position in left field. They have been reported as one of the teams that have talked to free agent Yoenis Cespedes. Cespedes would trump both Pagan and Gardner, but the Giants would not be alone in wanting arguably the top free agent hitter on the market.

If the Giants miss out on Cespedes or other free agents they could turn to Gardner as an option. He would give them similar production to what they have been getting from Pagan, which could be a good or bad thing depending on who you ask.

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