On Tuesday afternoon, Didi Gregorius stole the show during the Yankees 11-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium. But behind Gregorius’ and his eight RBI day, was outfielder Brett Gardner,who ignited a fire despite the damp and dreary conditions.
When it comes to playing baseball, it’s not Brett Gardner’s nature to be over-the-top. In fact, Gardner likes to make his contributions in a quiet fashion. So it was no surprise Gardner aided the Yankees to their third win of the season while flying under the radar.
In the third inning, third baseman Brandon Drury threw a ball away which allowed former Yankee Rob Refsnyder to go to third base. Gardner picked up his teammate by firing a strike to catcher Gary Sanchez to nab Refsnyder at the plate. In the seventh inning, Gardner laid down a sacrifice bunt which was thrown away, scoring the Yankees go-ahead run and sparking another rally. And in the eighth inning, Gardner hustled on a ground ball to the second baseman and narrowly beat it out with a head-first dive, giving Gregorius a chance to add to his historic day.
Since coming up to the Major Leagues, Gardner has evolved from doe-eyed rookie to elder statesman, becoming a source of leadership in the Yankees clubhouse. Not only does Gardner do all the right things off the field, but he’s a catalyst on the field. He plays the game with integrity, heart, and soul. He gives 110% whether on a double down the line or a ground ball to short. And he shows that while he may not have the best arm on the team, his accuracy can’t be beat.
There are reasons why Gardner has spent his entire career in pinstripes so far. He was a major part of the Yankees making it to the postseason last year, and yesterday his contributions helped the Yankees take their home opener in the Bronx. He may not be the flashiest player on the field, and he may not get national coverage like Aaron Judge or Giancarlo Stanton. But staying under the radar and contributing is what Gardner does best.
