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Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesBrad Penner-Imagn Images
The New York Yankees opened the 2025 season with more than just a win — they opened it with heart.
Before first pitch on Thursday afternoon, the team held a moment of silence for former Yankee Brett Gardner and his family, honoring the life of his 14-year-old son, Miller Gardner. The tragic news shook the Yankees family earlier in the week, when it was revealed that Miller had passed away unexpectedly while on a family vacation in Costa Rica. He became ill after eating at a restaurant and died peacefully in his sleep — a gut-wrenching moment no parent should ever have to face.
Gardner spent 14 years wearing the pinstripes, and while he’s no longer on the field, his legacy still runs deep throughout the clubhouse and beyond.
Judge Honors Gardner in a Way Only He Could
Aaron Judge, now the captain of the Yankees and a player who understands the weight of the uniform better than most, didn’t just honor Gardner with silence.
He honored him with a gesture.
Playing right field on Thursday — not centerfield where Gardner roamed for years — Judge turned to the bleacher creatures and offered Brett’s signature move: a flex of both arms toward the fans. It’s something Gardner made iconic in the Bronx and something Judge typically reserves for when he’s in center himself. But this time, it was a tribute.
A quiet, powerful reminder that the Yankees are a family — and families show up for each other.
Aaron Judge honored Brett Gardner yesterday with his signature flex to the Bleacher Creatures during roll call in RF
Gardner's son, Miller, recently passed away unexpectedly.
THIS is what it's all about#Yankeespic.twitter.com/KEusTyZLso
— Fireside Yankees (@FiresideYankees) March 28, 2025
More Than Just a Ballplayer
Judge’s moment wasn’t choreographed, and it wasn’t about attention.
It was about heart.
That simple flex, that nod to Gardner in the middle of the outfield, spoke louder than any speech or statement. It connected the past and present, the fans and the clubhouse. For the bleacher creatures — who had spent years responding to Gardner with that same energy — it meant everything.
Judge has long been respected for his play on the field, but it’s moments like these that cement his leadership. He understands the fabric of the Yankees, and more importantly, the people that make it what it is.
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