The New York Yankees are headed towards murky water in regard to the shortstop position, as current starter Didi Gregorius is recovering from Tommy John surgery and will be a free agent in 2019. Healing completely from a throwing-arm injury as significant as the one he endured is tough, and it should play a part in the decision to either retain Gregorius or let him walk next winter.
The New York Yankees sign an insurance policy:
With the signing of Troy Tulowitzki providing a stop-gap at shortstop for the Yanks until the return of their every-day starter, it questions the longevity of the position and what they might do in the future.
Didi is a club-house and fan-favorite, bringing immense leadership to the team along with valuable defensive and offensive capabilities. If he can return to 100%, the Yankees would be smart to extend his contract and keep him around for the remainder of his prime.
In 2018, Gregorius had a slash of — .268/.335/.494 — a solid year all-around for a player that wasn’t known to be a power-hitter. He smacked 27 homer over the fence, setting a historical record for Yankee shortstops.
What might the future hold?
With Tulo on a one-year deal with the Bombers, it seems as if the future is a bit uncertain at shortstop. They could elect to re-sign either of the players, or both given they provide solid performances this season. The main priority should be their defense, as the Yankees’ infield was putrid last season. Retaining a defensive maestro will be essential moving forward, especially if they choose to leave Miguel Andujar at third-base and pass on superstar free agent Manny Machado.
An interesting idea:
The Yankees could theoretically utilize Andujar as a designated hitter this season and hold off until 2020 to place him at third-base again. Given Machado is signed, they could make him the everyday shortstop and hope Andujar sees defensive growth. This is a long-shot idea, but we’ve seen crazier scenarios.