NEW YORK -- Maybe the Yankees could find a spot in left field where they could create a new section called “Gardy’s Yardy” or something for Brett Gardner. They could pass out some gardening tools and gloves and maybe some wide-brimmed hats.
After just 67 career games, rookie outfielder Aaron Judge already has a special section in right dedicated to him. It is part of the club's new appeal to make Yankee Stadium even more fan friendly. Judge probably already is the most popular Yankee, so 18 fans per game wearing his No. 99 will be picked at random to sit in the seats, borrowing a judge’s robe and using a Styrofoam gavel to sit in "Judge’s Chambers."
Meanwhile, Gardner played Game No. 1,106 of his career on Monday. Gardner is nearly 34 compared to Judge’s 25. At 5-foot-9, 195 pounds, Gardner stands nearly a foot shorter than Judge and 100 pounds lighter. He is not the talk of baseball.
However, Gardner is playing about as well as anyone in the game. His third-inning solo shot in the Yankees’ 4-2 win over the Kansas City Royals was his ninth homer in his past 21 games. Gardner hit seven homers all of last year in 148 games.
But there is no section for Gardner, which is fine with him. In fact, he said he might go out before the game on Tuesday to check out Judge’s section, as the two have developed a strong friendship. Gardner doesn’t have a hint of jealousy, nor does he have a name in mind if he were blessed with a section.
“You guys can figure that out,” Gardner said.
Gardner is the pro’s pro of the Yankees’ everyday players. He is the only one who was a part of the Yankees’ last championship in 2009. Back then, he was around Judge’s age, the new kid on the block.
He has never shown this type of power. In 2014 and 2015, he hit 16 and 17 home runs, respectively, the only times he reached double digits in this category. The way he is going these days, he might have that many by the end of the month.
“It is impressive,” Judge said. “It is what he is capable of doing. Early in spring training, early in the year, he was thinking as a leadoff guy: ‘I’ve got to take pitches. I’ve got to work the count,’ when really he can put the ball in the seats whenever he wants. With the swing that he has, the power he’s got, the body, now he is just going up there attacking guys.”
Gardner's only All-Star season was 2015. This year, he is yet another Yankee outfielder who could be playing in Miami in July. He is that good. Judge looks like a lock as the biggest story in baseball, while fourth outfielder Aaron Hicks probably won’t make it but deserves some All-Star consideration. Jacoby Ellsbury, who actually is having a pretty good year, is probably the only one who isn’t really in the running for a spot.
Ellsbury is on the outside looking in because there is an outfield competition for playing time. If the playoffs began today, it is hard to believe that manager Joe Girardi’s outfield wouldn’t be Gardner in left, Hicks in center and Judge in right.
“We push each other,” Hicks said.
The Yankees’ outfield was filled with question marks coming into the season. Could Judge make enough contact to be productive? Is Ellsbury the worst free-agent signing in team history? Is Hicks going to live up to his talent? Gardner was the most sure thing of the bunch, but he still was not a guaranteed success story.
He is probably not getting his own section at the stadium, but it can’t be ruled out.
“That might be coming up next,” Judge said.