NEW YORK — There won’t be a Gardy Party on Old-Timer’s Day.
Retired New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner won’t attend Saturday’s festivities, which will include a pregame ceremony honoring the 2009 World Series-winning team at Yankee Stadium. His absence was the most notable on a list of attendees that includes Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, CC Sabathia and others.
Why won’t Gardner make it?
“All I know is his son’s got a football game on Friday night and he intends to be there,” said Joe Bick, his longtime agent at Meister Sports Management.
Gardner lives in Holly Hill, S.C.
A Yankees spokesman said Gardner hasn’t responded to messages from the team since his playing career ended after the 2021 season. The spokesman added that Gardner had made it known that when he was done playing he would be staying out of the public eye. Gardner didn’t immediately respond to a request seeking comment from The Athletic.
The Yankees have announced the roster of scheduled attendees for Old-Timers’ Day, which will focus heavily on the anniversary of the 2009 World Series championship club: pic.twitter.com/ulzVtrZos8
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) August 13, 2024
Gardner hasn’t been seen back at Yankee Stadium since the end of the 2021 season.
In March 2022, Bick told NJ Advance Media that Gardner still wanted to play and that he wanted to finish his career with the Yankees. A deal between the sides never materialized. In November 2021, Gardner declined his $2.3 million option for 2022 and the Yankees declined their $7.15 million option on him, making him a free agent.
On Opening Day 2022, the Yankees rolled out a starting outfield of Aaron Judge, Joey Gallo and Aaron Hicks.
Gardner played all 14 of his big-league seasons in pinstripes. The Yankees drafted him in the third round in 2005 out of the College of Charleston.
Gardner debuted in 2008 and helped the Yankees win their last World Series in 2009, playing 108 games that season. He finished his career hitting .256 with 139 home runs, 274 stolen bases and a 100 OPS+. He was an All-Star in 2015 and won a Gold Glove in 2016. In Gardner’s final season, at age 37, he hit .222 with 10 homers, 39 RBIs and a 90 OPS+ in 140 games.
Earlier this month, The Athletic reported why star slugger Aaron Judge honors Gardner before each game at Yankee Stadium, saluting the Bleacher Creatures like Gardner did when he patrolled center field.
“He might not have been the guy that’s putting up 40-homer seasons or hitting .320 every single year or a (multi-time) All-Star,” Judge said. “But what this guy meant inside this clubhouse, the things he taught me about being a leader and trying to treat people with respect — even what I observed from him and how he treated people. I don’t want people to forget that.”
Starting pitcher Gerrit Cole described Gardner as the Yankees’ “de facto captain” when they played together during the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
For Rodriguez and Sabathia, it’ll be their first Old-Timer’s Day appearances. Rodriguez retired in 2016 and Sabathia in 2019. Other first-timers include A.J. Burnett, Francisco Cervelli, Phil Coke, Eric Hinske, Damaso Marte and José Molina. Core Four members Jeter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera will be there too.
(Photo of Gardner in 2021: Jim McIsaac / Getty Images)
