With starting shortstop Didi Gregorius for the New York Yankees hitting free agency, a decision must be made in regards to re-signing him or letting him walk.
The two sides are familiar, and it would make the most sense to bring Gregorius back for another season, but his qualifying offer is excessive. Last season, the shortstop earned $11.75 million. The Yankees declined to offer him a massive raise to $17.8 million, which was the qualifying offer.
How did Didi Gregorius perform for the New York Yankees in 2019?
After missing the first nine weeks of the season, Didi returned to bat .238, hitting 16 homers and drove in 61 runs. He logged a .718 OPS over 82 regular-season games. In postseason play, Gregorius hit an efficient .273 with one homer, six RBIs and a .708 OPS in nine games.
Realistically, both the Yankees and Didi make sense for each other. Still, the price tag was far too high to bring him back and also pursue other big-name free agents, notably if general manager Brian Cashman prioritizes pitching.
How else is on the market at shortstop?
Right off the bat, second-baseman, Gleyber Torres, rings a bell as a potential replacement. Utility man, DJ LeMahieu, prefers to play at second base but was forced into several roles due to injuries. If the Yankees can remain healthy, moving Torres to shortstop and playing LeMahieu at his most influential position seems like the most efficient usage of their talents.
Alternatively, Detroit Tigers’ Jordy Mercer could be an option to consider. Mercer has hit double-digit homers just three times in his nine-year career. The Yankees prefer power hitters, and Gregorius has elevated his launch angle to help rack up homers over the past few seasons. He has hit 88 long-balls over five campaigns, far more than any shortstop in that time-frame.
The options available in free agency to replace Didi aren’t anything to write home about. Mercer and Jose Iglesias are the only options worth looking into, and none are as talented and well-liked in the clubhouse as Gregorius. The $17.8 million would have locked Didi into a one-year contract with the Yankees, essentially the MBL’s franchise tag. However, they can still look to sign him for cheaper on a multi-year deal, which I imagine is more likely.