In his 9th season with the New York Yankees, Brett Gardner has finally snagged some rightfully-deserved hardware in his first Gold Glove.
New York Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner wins his first Rawling’s Gold Glove Award in nine seasons in the Bronx, as announced by ESPN this evening.Gardner, the only Yankees representative for a Gold Glove this season, played a key role in a critical second-half run that almost brought the Yankees a Wild Card spot.
In 1,219 innings played in left field in 2016, Gardner completed a career-high nine assists while only making three errors. Gardner’s .989 fielding percentage was good enough to finish eighth in the league.
While the Kansas City Royals Alex Gordon had a higher fielding percentage, Gordon played in 20 fewer games than Gardner. Gardner’s other competition, Colby Rasmus of the Houston Astros, only logged 87 games in the qualifying position.
Gardner has stolen home runs, saved games and essentially done all the Yankees could ask for (and more), making him a shoe-in to receive this award for the first time in his career.
Gardner’s arm has steadily improved in his time in the major leagues and has proven to be a major asset. With his perchance for incredible plays under severe pressure, Gardner has proven he is a diamond in the rough.
Congratulations on Gardner for snagging his first Gold Glove award. This long overdue award further proves that Gardner is a threat on defense and a force to be reckoned with in left field.