As the 2019 MLB Postseason approaches, one topic of conversation has been on whether Didi Gregorius will be re-signed this offseason.
On December 5th, 2014 a 24-year-old shortstop by the name of Didi Gregorius was acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks and proclaimed to be the next Yankees shortstop after Derek Jeter. Nobody knew who this young guy was and it was another one of those Cashman deals that paid off in the end. The season before getting traded, Didi hit his first career home run at Yankee Stadium.
From 2015 till now, Didi has grown as a Yankee favorite. It was after his 2017 Wild Card home run and a superb ALDS that Didi made a name for himself:
Didi has been a fan favorite on and off the field with his glove, personality and his after game tweets. After sliding into home plate last season to score the game-winning to clinch a playoff spot, Didi got hurt but battled the injury during the playoffs. After coming back from Tommy John Surgery in June, Didi has not looked the same.
Didi has been struggling since his return and his numbers have not been looking the same. He has struggled offensively and defensively on occasion. This year the Yankees shortstop batted .238 with a .276 OBP, 16 home runs, and 61 RBIs. In his last 15 games, Didi has been batting .172 with 11 strikeouts, two home runs, 11 RBI’s and a .250 OBP.
The real question is are the Yankees willing to take the chance on Didi are re-signing him this offseason. Didi has his history with the postseason and it might change the perspective with some fans who have been saying “the Yankees should not re-sign Didi” This goes back to after winning the 2009 World Series MVP, the Yankees elected to not bring back Hideki Matsui. Regardless of how fans perceive Didi or any specific player, the decision of the front office never factors into that.
From now till the end of the postseason, we will have to wait and see how Didi performs. With the Yankees already having a stacked infield, and some players returning from injury next season, that will be another factor into the decision. Another key factor is how much Didi asks for and how long of a contract he requests.
Personally, I hope the Yankees bring back Didi on a short term deal because he has been great for the clubhouse and he brings a lot of energy to the team. For now, all we can do is hope for the best this postseason and see how management goes forward come free agency.