After Sunday morning’s impromptu press conference that announced an imminent departure between the Yankees and veteran Alex Rodriguez, only one player left from New York’s 2009 world championship roster will be under contract next season.
The player is 32-year-old outfielder Brett Gardner, who has spent his entire nine-year career in the Bronx, and has watched several All-Star names come and go. But the franchise’s recent dismissal of aging players has left Gardner upset about Rodriguez’s situation, wondering when his own time in the sun will expire.
“Sad the way it’s all gone down,” Gardner said to Joe Giglio of NJ Advance Media. “Sad to see [Rodriguez] go and not get the chance to play with him anymore.”
In a three-day span, veterans Mark Teixeira and Rodriguez somberly announced to the press that their playing careers wouldn’t continue with New York next year, and while Teixeira elected to retire on his own volition, Gardner believes that ownership’s exit strategy for Rodriguez wasn’t handled with the same veneration.
“It’s two completely different situations,” Gardner said. “I think the ultimate way to go out is to go out on your own terms. Tex is getting a chance to do that. It’s sad to see that Alex isn’t.”
Rodriguez, who is expected to play the final game of his 22-year career on Friday night at Yankee Stadium, is only four home runs shy of milestone No. 700, and in Gardner’s mind, the superstar that was once Alex Rodriguez won’t be forgotten as a leader and role model around the clubhouse.
“You know, I’ve always been a big fan of him and always loved watching him work—whether that be in the cage, behind the scenes in the weight room or out on the field during batting practice,” said Gardner. “I’ve seen some of the balls that he hit at Citi Field within the last week or so—480, 490 feet to left-center. And I know that he can still hit. It’s sad to see it all come to an end.”
Gardner, who has hit .261 with only 29 runs batted in this season, is due $24 million by 2018, including a $12.5 million team option and $2 million buyout in 2019.
