What will the Yankees do with each of their own free agents?
Brett Gardner
The Yankees expected Gardner to be a reserve player when they brought him back on a one-year deal last winter. Instead, the 36-year-old played 141 regular season games and was a key starter for Aaron Boone’s team during the playoffs.
The injury to Hicks changes the team’s interest in bringing Gardner back for another season drastically. He’s not going to be a long-term solution in center field for the franchise, but there’s no reason to think his performance is going to fall off a cliff in 2019. He probably won’t post a WAR of 4.0 again, but it’s reasonable to think he can be an above average player again if used properly.
Don’t overlook the fact that Gardner can play quality defense in multiple outfield spots as a reason for the Yankees to bring him back. His speed gives this team something different in the outfield and on the base paths. Gardner doesn’t have any upside left to offer the Yankees, but this organization knows him better than any other franchise in baseball.
As such, look for the Yankees to try to reprise something similar to the one-year deal they gave Gardner last winter. He provided significantly more value than the $7.5 million he earned in 2019, but the team won’t get crazy with the money they offer him in 2020.