There was a time when the Yankees seemed to have too many outfielders.

When Brett Gardner re-signed with the team in February, though, he seemed to foresee their current issues.

“We’ve been through this before,’’ Gardner said in Tampa. “We know how talented those guys are. At the same time, I know what I’m still capable of doing. If I didn’t think I was still capable of performing at a high level, I wouldn’t be here.

“[The season] doesn’t always unfold the way you draw it up and the more depth you have, the better.”

As it turns out, the Yankees didn’t have enough depth. A season-ending wrist injury to Aaron Hicks, the trade of Mike Tauchman, Clint Frazier’s recent stiff neck and a stint on the injured list for Ryan LaMarre left the Yankees stretched thin. In the stretch of 13 straight days with a game that ended Sunday, Gardner appeared in every game and started 11 of them.

He was back in center field again Tuesday for the series opener against the Blue Jays in The Bronx.

The results lately have been good. Gardner entered Tuesday on an 8-for-25 streak with a pair of extra-base hits, two walks and six strikeouts.

“As good an outfielder as he is, he’s the one true center fielder right now on our roster,’’ manager Aaron Boone said. “It’s been huge [having him]. I’ve felt like offensively, he’s been a tick up the last week. He’s had good at-bats and getting some results. Day-in and day-out, he’s had a lot better contact and played really good defense. We’ve needed him and are leaning on him heavily here. … There’s a reason we keep trying to bring him back every year. He’s a really good player with a really valuable ability to move around the outfield.’’

But Boone acknowledged the Yankees would need to avoid running the 37-year-old Gardner into the ground.

That’s where Frazier might come in.

Boone said he spoke with Frazier about playing center, something he has done just once in the majors, when he played a full game there in 2018.

“He has the athleticism to go out there,’’ Boone said of Frazier, who was in left field on Tuesday. “There may be a couple games in this stretch we may have to go with him. I know he would relish it. … He’ll work out there and at some point, we’ll likely see it.”

Tyler Wade also might spend time in center, and the Yankees still have enough depth on the roster that they could use Miguel Andujar in left with Wade or Frazier in center.

They’ve explored minor additions, such as Delino DeShields Jr. who is at Triple-A with the Rangers, but have remained patient so far.

And prospect Estevan Florial continues to be a work in progress.

The 23-year-old started in center for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday, but has played just 17 games above Single-A, including one game with the Yankees last season.

For now, though, Gardner is the primary option.

“He’s gonna grind out there,” Luke Voit said of Gardner. “He’s been going out there and playing every day. It’s probably not something he knew was gonna happen, but you never know. It’s been like that the last couple years.”

Asked how long the current outfield structure is sustainable, Boone said, “As long as it needs to be.”

“That’s where we’re at right now,’’ Boone said. “The bottom line is we’re running out really good players. … I feel good about our situation. We’ve just got to get it done and make sure those guys are ready to go out there and be productive.”