Longtime New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner may be facing the end of his tenure with the franchise. With just a couple of weeks until Opening Day, Gardner remains an MLB free agent, and the Yankees have yet to make a move to bring him back to the organization. Other teams have expressed interest in Gardner, including the rival Toronto Blue Jays, but reports suggest that Gardner is still set on a return to New York. Per Erik Boland, Gardner is still holding out hope the Yankees submit him an offer in free agency, despite interest from Toronto.

The Yankees have not made any declarations regarding their intentions to offer Gardner a new deal. He certainly would be designated to a role on the bench if he were to return to the Bronx, but that seems to be something he's come to terms with. Gardner is eager to finish his MLB career exactly where it started and is apparently waiting around to see if he gets a last-minute offer to remain in pinstripes.

Gardner has featured in a total of 1,688 games for the Yankees across his 14-year career. The one-time All-Star is no longer the 40+ stolen base threat he was during his prime, but he's developed into a clubhouse leader and fan favorite. Despite that, the Yankees may not feel his production justifies a roster spot this season. Last year, Gardner slashed .222/.327/.362 with 10 home runs and 39 RBI, featuring in 140 games for the team. He's played in at least 140 games in each of the past eight seasons, excluding the shortened 2020 campaign.

Despite being a free agent, Gardner seems as loyal to the Yankees as ever.