Brett Gardner has never been a power hitter. His slugging percentage topped out at .422 in 2014, and he has just 63 home runs across his ten-year career. He's a fast, patient hitter who knows the best way for him to help the Yankees on offense is to simply get on base.
Gardner seemed to take that strategy to the limit last year. His slugging mark of .361 was his lowest such figure in a full season, and his OBP (.351) was at its highest level since 2010. Rather than swinging for the fences, much like the rest of baseball, he was extremely patient at the plate, posting one of the lowest swing rates in the league.