Yankees decline Brett Gardner's $10 million option but open to bringing back outfielder

The New York Yankees have declined to pick up Brett Gardner's $10 million option for next season but according to sources, the team is still interested in bringing back the veteran outfielder if he is open to taking less money.

Gardner has spent his entire career with the Yankees but the 37-year-old struggled this season, hitting just .223 and only driving in 15 RBI over the course of the season. However, Gardner did have a bit of a return to form late in the season and performed well in the postseason, hitting .364 with a .500 OBP in the Yankees' 5-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Yankees will owe Gardner a $2.5 million buyout for declining the option, and if Gardner wants to stay in New York, the team seems like they are interested in keeping him for the right price.

Unsurprisingly, the Yankees picked up relief pitcher Zack Britton's $14 million option for 2022, as he would have been allowed to opt out of his $13 million option for 2021 and become a free agent if the team had declined. Britton is considered the best bullpen pitcher for the Yankees and has been dominant since joining the team in 2018, delivering an ERA of less than 2.00 in back-to-back seasons.

"Very excited to continue the pursuit of a championship with the Yankees," Britton tweeted.

Despite a disappointing showing in the playoffs, the Yankees remain one of the more talented teams in the MLB, and if they can keep their best players around, they should be World Series contenders for years to come.