Didi Gregorius

New York Yankees: Who likely won’t return next season?

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The New York Yankees are notorious for having a stacked lineup and to have a deep farm system. As it was seen this season, they called up guys that consistently contributed to the Major League team like it was nothing. With that being said, they have a lot of talent being buried in their organization.

Didi Gregorius

One of the biggest question marks for the roster next season, Didi Gregorius is believed by many that he most likely won’t be the Yankee shortstop next season. It’s believed that Gleyber Torres showed enough at shortstop this season that the Yankees could make him the starting shortstop.

Emotionally, this hurts. Logically, it kind of makes sense. Gregorius just built himself in the Bronx and is loved by the fans. However, it does make sense that Torres could be the starting shortstop.

There’s no word on where Gregorius is going to land next season, but any decision the Yankees make will be justifiable.

Clint Frazier

Despite his success at the beginning of the regular season, nobody feels more buried in the Yankee organization more than Clint Frazier. Behind stars, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, the only place Frazier would fit in the Yankee lineup would be in the DH role.

The New York Yankees definitely know that Frazier has talent. If they didn’t think so, they would’ve traded him away in the July 31st trade deadline this season. With that being said (given that the outfield stays the same), Frazier would still be buried behind Stanton, Judge, Hicks, and there’s even an argument for Mike Tauchman.

It’s very likely that the Yankees use Frazier in order to get better pitching. He’s a young talent that any team would love to have in their organization. He’s far from his peak and he has the potential to be the leader in any lineup.

Edwin Encarnacion

After being traded to the Yankees in mid-June, the 36-year-old veteran batted .249 with 13 home runs and 37 runs batted in. Edwin Encarnacion had an unbelievable ALDS performance and then went ice cold in the ALCS.

The Yankees have a decision to make: they could bring him back for the 2020 season and pay him $20 million, or pay him a $5 million dollar buyout to let him go.

I think the Encarnacion trade was a one-year deal for the Yankees. It was a promising pickup, getting a veteran that has playoff experience and can pop 30+ home runs in a season. Good move for one season, but not for multiple years.

Cameron Maybin

After being picked up by the Yankees for a mere $25,000 dollars, Cameron Maybin picked up the slack that was left by the injured starters. He played in 82 games, batting .285 with 11 homers and 32 runs batted in.

It seems that Maybin already knows that he won’t be returning next season. This tweet two days after the Yankees heart-breaking loss to the Astros in Game 6 of the ALCS says it all:

Why The New York Yankees Should Resign Didi Gregorius

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New York Yankees, Didi Gregorius

After a disappointing 2019 season, there’s a lot of speculation to whether the New York Yankees will resign shortstop Didi Gregorius. He’s finally a free agent, but many fans say that the team should let him walk. I think that the Yankees would really regret letting him go, and here’s why:

Perfect Swing

I know it’s one of the most basic and cliche things to say about a lefty, but Didi really does have a perfect swing for Yankee Stadium. He usually pulls the ball, and with the short porch in left, it doesn’t take much for the ball to go out.

Losing him would really affect the run production at home.

Tommy John

Didi missed the first two and a half months of the season due to undergoing Tommy John surgery. He never really got a Spring Training like the other guys, and he also just wore out at the end of the season.

If he had a full offseason to prepare, he would of played a lot better. He only had a few weeks of training to get ready for the season, and that’s not nearly enough for a pro player.

Great Glove And Smarts

Didi has a really good glove and is a smart player. He had a .979 fielding percentage in 2019, just six total errors and most were early on.

He’s a great base-runner and always knows where to throw the ball in the field. On offense, he is very disciplined and doesn’t chase a lot compared to his teammates.

Helps Solve First Base Problem

By keeping Didi Gregorius, it helps solve the first base dilemma. Didi and Gleyber would be up the middle while DJ LeMahieu would get most of the starts at first.

First base is where DJ played in the postseason, and he played magnificent. Maybe the Yankees trade Luke Voit and Greg Bird while keeping Mike Ford for lefty power.

Overall, I think that the Yankees would really benefit from resigning Didi Gregorius. He’s in the prime of his career and still has a lot of potential. I would only not sign him if he wants an unreasonable amount of money.

New York Yankees: Aaron Boone makes another huge batting order mistake

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New York Yankees, Gleyber Torres

The New York Yankees and manager Aaron Boone took a different approach to their hitting order on Thursday night, slotting second-baseman Gleyber Torres into the cleanup spot. That move resulted in Torres going 0-for-4 on the night, and striking out in a bases-loaded situation early on in the contest.

Boone has continuously fielded Edwin Encarnacion, who’s parrot has a better chance of making contact with the baseball than he does. The designated hitter finished the night with two strikeouts (0-for-3) and a groundout. Outfielder Cameron Maybin would have been a more suitable option for the DH spot in the scenario that he didn’t replace Brett Gardner.

The ultimate reality of the situation is that the Yankees are down 3-1 in the series against a better team with more proficient pitching. Their starters are too powerful and efficient to bat around, despite the Yankees leaving plenty of men on base and opportunities missed.

To make matters worse for the Yanks, their bullpen has been putrid as well. Adam Ottavino has been torched by Houston, and Chad Green, who has been fantastic, allowed a timely three-run blast to give the Astros a 6-1 lead in the 6th inning.

Going into game five, Boone not only needs to make numerous changes to the batting order, but he needs to lift the emotions of his team. If Houston can win three straight games, the Yankees can surely do it too.

For the Astros, starter Zach Greinke pitched 4.1 innings, allowing just one run and three hits before handing the ball to the bullpen. The Bombers had their chances to strikes, especially in the first inning where they recorded only one run on a bases-loaded scenario with one out.

Who should the New York Yankees switch out in the batting order?

First off, Encarnacion should be benched for eternity. His 1-for-14 cold streak is hurting the team significantly, not to mention fellow slugger, Gary Sanchez’s issues hitting as well. At least Sanchez smashed a two-run homer in the bottom of the 6th to give the Yankees a glimmer of home.

Here’s a look at what the lineup could theoretically look like in game five:

1.) DJ LeMahieu

2.) Aaron Judge

3.) Gleyber Torres

4.) Giancarlo Stanton (?) –> Gary Sanchez

5.) Aaron Hicks

6.) Brett Gardner

7.) Cameron Maybin

8.) Didi Gregorius

9.) Gio Urshela

The defense needs to step up:

Aside from the offensive woes, the New York Yankees struggled defensively on Thursday. They allowed four errors, two coming from LeMahieu at first base and two from Gleyber Torres at second, which allowed two runs on separate occasions. Two of the mistakes occurred in the seventh inning, where the Astros recorded a run and put the game out of reach.

They must elevate their defensive quality and prepare to play a clean game in Houston on Friday night.

New York Yankees: Aaron Boone made horrific mistakes in game three batting order

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New York Yankees, Brett Gardner

So let’s get this straight, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone not only kept the previously 0-for-9 Edwin Encarnacion in the cleanup spot, but he also featured Brett Gardner right in front of him at No. 3. Gardner is 2-for-9 over the last two losses to the Houston Astros and hasn’t made an impact in any significant way.

The fact is, Gardner could barely even play the field as he crashed into the outfield wall trying to make a warning-track catch. His bat was off, his ability to track fly balls was off, and yet Boone elected to stick with the veteran through thick and thin. Was this a strange sentimental start on behalf of Boone?

Alternatively, Boone could have started speed-demon Cameron Maybin in right field and featured him in the batting order, likely moving him down the list and Gleyber Torres up to the three spot. Torres was the only real threat on Tuesday night against Gerrit Cole, who blanked the Yanks over seven innings despite several concerning innings that nearly resulted in run production.

The Bombers weren’t able to claw away at the Astros and their stellar starting pitchers, though, as Severino allowed two runs early on to dig the Yankees into a hole. The offensive power the New York Yankees featured during the Twins completely turned off due to opposing pitching, but there’s still hope on the horizon.

Based on the struggles of individual players, here’s a revised New York Yankees batting order for game four:

1.) DJ LeMahieu

2.) Aaron Judge

3.) Gleyber Torres

4.) Gary Sanchez

5.) Aaron Hicks

6.) Didi Gregorius

7.) Brett Gardner

8.) Cameron Maybin

9.) Gio Urshela

First off, Edwin Encarnacion has to go — 1-for-13 is despicable, and featuring him in the lineup any longer cannot be justified. Plugging Sanchez into the cleanup spot makes logical sense considering his power, despite his struggles. Since benching him is off the table due to his catching abilities, they can move him up just to take Edwin out.

The reality is, the Yankees need to maximize their effectiveness towards the top portion of the lineup, and stacking it through with high-contact hitters makes the most sense. Generally, the Yanks were in a scoring position more frequently when the top of the batting order was at-bat. Aaron Hicks, the outlier, earned two walks on the day and showed stellar patience against Cole.

Moving him up to the fifth spot in the order gives the Yanks a switch-hitting option that can contribute with discipline behind Sanchez. Also, Brett Gardner has got to GO. His lack of contact is continuous, and his frustration/emotion has taken its toll on his confidence. Unfortunately, the Yanks simply don’t have any other options with Giancarlo Stanton nursing an injured quad.

Putting Maybin in is a necessity for game three.

New York Yankees: What did manager Aaron Boone to get his team going?

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New York Yankees, Gleyber Torres

The New York Yankees earned a 3-0 lead on the series against the Minnesota Twins on Monday night. Led by ace, Luis Severino, the Yankees claimed the victory 5-1 on the back of a stellar pitching performance from the starter and the bullpen.

Severino enjoyed four innings, allowing four hits and earning four strikeouts. At one point, he got himself out of a bases-loaded, no outs jam. His aggressiveness and confidence were beaming against a homerun centric Twins team that has failed to produce during the ALDS.

Manager Aaron Boone looked like a genius based on his moves on Monday night, especially the decision to start Severino in game three, the first game away from Yankee Stadium. Testing him in foreign waters was the perfect way to instill confidence in the starting rotation and give Severino a taste of his potential.

New York Yankees — Defense wins championships:

Despite the Yankees showing their offensive power against the Twins, their defense was stellar throughout all three games. Right fielder Aaron Judge has been jaw-dropping in the outfield, making diving catches left and right and earning praise from his fellow teammates. The fact of the matter is, defense wins championships in the postseason, and holding an offensive Minnesota team to one run at home is remarkable.

That certainly doesn’t mean that offense isn’t required, as Didi Gregorius provided a grand slam in game two to blow open the lead and the first three batters in DJ LeMahieu, Aaron Judge, and Brett Gardner combined for six total runs in the first game of the series. The top of the order having success is hugely encouraging and should give the Yankees confidence moving forward.

Also, scoring 21 runs in the first three games of the playoffs portrays the desire from the players and their motivation in reaching the World Series. CC Sabathia might be behind their impressive start after all.

Will the New York Yankees resign Didi Gregorius next offseason?

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New York Yankees, Didi Gregorius

The New York Yankees are sitting in a comfortable position in the ALDS as they lead the Minnesota Twins, the league’s best home run hitting team, 2-0 on the series. Two home games for the Bombers in a dynamic environment at Yankee Stadium have fueled them to a fantastic start.

Manager Aaron Boone’s side has put up a whopping 18 runs in the first two contests of the postseason. Their long-ball centric mentality has not failed them, racking up three since the inception of the series, but their run support in other categories has also been stellar.

The New York Yankees are firing on all cylinders:

To help the solid scoring production, the Yankees have had great pitching performances from James Paxton and Masahiro Tanaka individually, putting up nine innings total with four earned runs. Tanaka’s performance on Saturday night was magisterial, blanking the Twins for the most part over five innings, but the biggest play of the night came off the bat of Didi Gregorious, who smashed a deep Grand Slam to the second level in right field.

Gregorius turns 30 in February, and his contract expires after the playoffs, meaning the Yankees will have to make a difficult decision on his future with the club. This season, Didi hit .238 after returning from a significant injury to his throwing elbow. However, he’s one of the leaders on the team and clubhouse favorites, similar to Brett Gardner. He certainly can still play an influential role, and if he’s willing to accept less money to feature on the Yankees, they shouldn’t think twice about extending him.

Home runs like the one showed in the clip prove his worth, and justify the Bombers resining him as a rotational infielder. Having a secondary shortstop to fill in due to injuries is always a good idea. Considering his qualities, Didi can be what Troy Tulowitzki never was for the Yankees in 2019.

Gregorius did have a cold streak towards the end of the season, and he responded by saying, per Sports Illustrated:

“I’ve been doing the same work I’ve been doing since I got here,” Gregorius said when asked about a late-season slide. “I didn’t try to change anything, just try to swing at strikes. That’s one thing for me right now and be patient. I’m just all over the place swinging at almost every ball. I think that’s one thing, and be aggressive in the strike zone. That’s what I’m trying to do right now.”

Considering the Yankees’ inevitable bout of injuries next season knock on wood, LeMahieu can always move around the infield to fill spots of need, Torres can move back to second base, and Gregorius can be plugged into the shortstop role.

New York Yankees: Gregorius, Tanaka, Knocks the Twins Down in Game 2 of the ALDS

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New York Yankees shortstop, Didi Gregorius.

Another outstanding performance from the New York Yankees led to a 8-2 victory against the Minnesota Twins in game 2 of the ALDS.

Masahiro Tanaka pitched a marvelous gem, producing 5 strong innings and allowing 3 hits, 1 run and struck out 7 batters on 83 pitches. The bullpen, which consisted of Adam Ottavino, Jonathan Loaisiga, Tommy Kahnle and Tyler Lyons pitched 4 solid innings and allowed a combined 3 hits, 1 run and struck out 7 batters on 64 pitches

Just as the Bronx Bomber did in game 1 of the ALDS, they exploded in game 2 with a feeding frenzy. Edwin Encarnacion, who doesn’t believe in the definition of rusty, drove in an RBI single in the bottom of the 1st, granting the Yanks with a 1-0 lead.

The bottom of the 3rd led to a massive 7-run rally that ultimately lifted the Yanks to a huge victory. Giancarlo Stanton started the rally with a bases loaded sac fly to deep center field. Gleyber Torres immediately after ripped an RBI single to left field.

Didi Gregorius hammered the final nail in the coffin with a grand slam to deep right field, traveling 369 feet with an exit velocity of 102.1 MPH. Brett Gardner added the icing on the cake with an RBI single to right field, granting the Yanks with a 8-0 lead.

The Twins recorded their first run of the game in the top of the 4th. On a 3-1 count with 1 out, Mitch Garver smoked a ground ball against the shift into right field. Luis Arraez knocked in the last run for the Twins offense in the top of the 9th, lifting an RBI double to right-center field.

Loaisiga sealed the deal in the top of the 9th and the rest is in the history books. The offense was electric just as it was last night, the defense was fantastic and the pitching was tough as nails. The Yanks are now one more game closer to championship 28. Both organizations will be picking the series back up in Minneapolis on Monday night.

 

New York Yankees take Game 2 of ALDS fueled by Tanaka, Gregorius

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New York Yankees, Didi Gregorius

The New York Yankees took game two of the American League Divison Series against the Minnesota Twins to give them a confident 2-0 lead in the series.

Masahiro Tanaka continued his strong postseason career where he went five full frames allowing one run on three hits while fanning seven. Randy Dobnak started his first postseason game in which it showed – allowing four runs on six hits through only two innings pitched.

The Yankees led the whole game where they struck first from Edwin Encarnacion’s single that knocked in DJ LeMahieu and Aaron Judge.

In the bottom of the third, Giancarlo Stanton knocked in a run via the sacrifice fly. Gleyber Torres joined in on the fun with a single knocking in another run.

This set the stage for Didi Gregorius.

Struggling in the last month of the season, Gregorius blasted a grand slam down the right-field line that sent Yankee Stadium into a frenzy.

The fun during the third inning wasn’t over, however. Brett Gardner knocked in the Yankees’ final run with a single to right field.

The Twins scored their two runs from a Mitch Garver single in the top of the fourth and a Luis Arráez doubled in the top of the ninth.

Minnesota’s staff issued eight walks that accounted for several of the Yankees’ runs. Yankee pitchers only allowed one walk from Tanaka.

Both teams will have a day off Sunday with game three on Monday in Minnesota. The Yankees will be sending Luis Severino to the mound and the Twins will have Jake Odorizzi on the hill for them.

New York Yankees: Will Didi Gregorius and Luke Voit Start in the Postseason?

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New York Yankees shortstop, Didi Gregorius.

Didi Gregorius and Luke Voit have been question marks regarding whether or not they will start in the postseason. Some people believe Gregorius must start because of his clutch moments in the 2017 and 2018 fall classics, while others believe he needs to be benched because of his lackluster offensive and defensive numbers. As for Voit, some people believe he must start because of his 2019 offensive numbers, while others believe he needs to be benched because of his ice-cold slump through the month of September.

What would benefit the team as an organization? What is the best solution to help the New York Yankees win the Commissioner’s Trophy in October? Let’s begin with Gregorius and his possible role in the postseason. Keep in mind that this article is opinionated and doesn’t correlate to the decisions that the organization will draw up.

Although Gregorius has produced an endless amount of memorable moments in his career, he has been mediocre this season. In 344 plate appearances, he slashed .238/.276/.441/.717 with a .297 wOBA and an 84 wRC+. He also has an extremely low 4.9 BB%. Not even the inflated stats from the Minnesota Twins series’ and the number of grand slams Gregorius has cashed in help his case. As far as defense is concerned, he isn’t much better. In 688.1 innings, he recorded a -5 DRS, 0.5 UZR, and a 0.6 UZR/150

An average hitter in the 2019 season slashed .252/.323/.435/.758 with a .320 wOBA and a 97 wRC+. This means that Gregorius is below average in AVG, OBP, OPS, wOBA, wRC+ and BB%. In the month of September, he slashed .190/.247/.380/.627 with a .259 wOBA and a 58 wRC+. He hasn’t produced the best at-bats and has struggled with plate discipline, hence why his BB% is low. On a positive note, he isn’t striking out much and is above average with a 15.4 K%.

Shifting over to the defense. An average shortstop in the 2019 season recorded a 0 DRS, 2.8 UZR, and a 0.1 UZR/150. Gregorius is below average in terms of DRS and UZR. Although his 0.5 UZR isn’t atrocious by any means, it’s not a great stat either. However, he is slightly above average in terms of UZR/150.

It’s blatantly obvious that Gregorius should not start in the postseason. While I do believe that team chemistry exists, he hasn’t produced much this season and that’s a problem. Fans should be more concerned with the best possible lineup overplaying the favorite card. Gregorius hasn’t played well this season, so why would he magically begin on a hot streak in October?

No player transforms into a better hitter and becomes more clutch just because it’s playoff season. If you’re a “clutch” player, you will show up when it matters, regardless if it’s April, July or October. The Yanks’ have much better hitters on the team that can be shifted into positions where they thrive. More on the lineup as a whole later.

As far as Voit is concerned, he has been much more productive with the bat. In 510 plate appearances, he slashed .263/.378/.464/.842 with a .360 wOBA and a 126 wRC+. He also recorded a 13.9 BB%, which is well above average and correlates to his high OBP. Among hitters with over 500 plate appearances in the AL, Voit is 10th in OBP and 6th in BB%.

The only concerning issue Voit has is his 27.8 K%, which is the 4th highest in the AL. On many occasions, he goes down looking without swinging on pitches that are clearly in the strike zone. Another concerning issue is the massive slump he has endured lately. Through the month of September, he slashed .194/.326/.347/.670 with a .299 wOBA and an 85 wRC+. In 72 at-bats, he only racked up 14 hits with 23 strikeouts. Even worse, by the end of Sept. 28, he went 1-for-32 with 13 strikeouts.

Defensively, Voit is a below-average defender. An average 1st baseman in the 2019 season recorded a 5 DRS, 1.5 UZR and a 0.0 UZR/150. In 706.1 innings, Voit recorded an ugly -6 DRS, -4.1 UZR and a -12.4 UZR/150

Unlike Gregorius, who is a below-average hitter and defender, Voit is an above-average hitter and a below-average defender. Voit definitely has the inferior defensive numbers but has a significantly better bat than Gregorius. 1st base is also not as physically demanding as a shortstop and is a much more flexible position to work around.

Overall, Voit has a better opportunity of making the postseason roster than Gregorius. With the current situation for both players, the ideal postseason roster might consist of:

  1. DJ LeMahieu – 2B
  2. Aaron Judge – RF
  3. Gleyber Torres – SS
  4. Giancarlo Stanton – LF
  5. Brett Gardner – CF
  6. Gary Sanchez – C
  7. Edwin Encarnacion – DH
  8. Gio Urshela – 3B
  9. Mike Ford – 1B

Yes, Mike Ford is on the lineup. I have a tremendous amount of faith in him and with the current pace Voit is on, this roster would be the most beneficial. Shift DJ to 2B and Torres to SS to compensate for Gregorius. Shift Ford to 1B and Encarnacion to DH. This is for precautionary reasons since Encarnacion is recovering from an oblique injury.

As I stated in the beginning, this is an opinionated article. If Gregorius and Voit happen to land on the postseason roster and demolish the league, I’ll gladly accept I was in the wrong. Until then, it’s all about winning championships overplaying the favorite card.

The New York Yankees must improve in one category if they wish to see the World Series

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New York Yankees, Didi Gregorius

The New York Yankees have crawled to an impressive 102-57 records despite numerous injuries plaguing them throughout the season. Gaining back Giancarlo Stanton and Luis Severino will undoubtedly help bolster the team heading into the postseason, but they are still down starters in the outfield and at the catcher position.

Scoring efficiency hasn’t been a problem for the Yankees this season, but their defensive totals have been concerning, especially in the infield.

As per FanGraphs, their collective defensive rating is -12.4, ranking 22nd in the MLB. Only the Twins have a lower grade and are playoff-bound. Only a few Yankees players are enjoying great defensive seasons — Aaron Judge, Didi Gregorius, and Gio Urshela come to mind.

The team’s defense is essential to their success moving forward, but their offense is the primary catalyst to success. The Yankees latest offensive bout against the Tampa Bay Rays was disappointing, as they scored only one run in two games. This has hurt the hopes and optimism of their lineup, but one bad two-game series shouldn’t sway our opinion on the quality of the lineup.

The New York Yankees secondary concern:

Facing off against better pitchers will make life more difficult for the Yankees batters, who are very reliant on hitting homers. They may be taking it easy to mitigate fatigue before the postseason, a concern that has arisen after the recent injury to second-baseman, Gleyber Torres.

Torres stated last week that he felt weakness in his legs after falling awkwardly throwing a ball to first base. Also, the number of injuries that have piled up make fatigue more of a pressing concern.

Luckily, the Yanks will also return first-baseman, Edwin Encarnacion, to the hitting order, which will give them a boost in power. His hard-hit rate of 42% and his xwOBA of .359 (with an actual wOBA of .367) only prove he can hit consistently with force.

The Yankees will need to rely on their sluggers to compensate for weak defense and pitching inconsistencies, but tougher teams understand their weaknesses.