Brett Gardner doesn’t appear to be a good fit in Toronto, despite recent rumours linking the durable New York Yankees left-fielder to the Blue Jays, says MLB Network’s Jon Paul Morosi.

Last week Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star wrote that Gardner, a staple atop the Yankees’ batting order in recent seasons, is among the Blue Jays’ “trade avenues to explore” along with Jay Bruce and Curtis Granderson of the New York Mets.

Gardner would seem to fill a major hole for the Blue Jays, who currently lack a clear leadoff hitter and starting left fielder, but Morosi isn’t so sure.

“To me the Jays are now going down the list of options,” Morosi said Tuesday morning on Dean Blundell & Co. on Sportsnet 590 The Fan. “You circle back and say, ‘Well, is this option really better than bringing back (free agent) Jose Bautista?’ I think in the case of Gardner, the answer is candidly, ‘No.’”

Morosi points to Gardner’s .726 OPS out of the leadoff spot this past season, a drastic dip from his 2015 mark of .824. He also notes the Blue Jays as a team posted a .761 OPS out of the lineup’s top spot in 2016.

“They had better production than what Gardner gave the Yankees last year,” said Morosi. “He really had one of his worst offensive seasons of his career in 2016.”

Though he did win his first Gold Glove this past season, Gardner, 33, saw his offensive numbers decline compared to years past. He hit .261/.351/.362 in 2016 with seven home runs, 41 RBIs and 80 runs scored, while his .713 OPS was his lowest since 2011.

It’s also worth noting that Gardner’s stolen base totals have steadily declined in recent years, falling from 49 in 2011 to just 16 this past year.

With Bautista and Michael Saunders not slated to return in 2017, outfield remains a concern for the Blue Jays, who have Kevin Pillar, Melvin Upton Jr., Ezequiel Carrera and Dalton Pompey as current internal options.

Bautista, who spent time last season as the Blue Jays’ leadoff hitter, remains a free agent, with recent reports suggesting he’s in “active talks” with the club about a possible return.