Much Ado About Didi
The Phillies may lose their most valuable player in free agency.
Hint: His last name isn’t Realmuto.
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Didi Gregorius plugged a hole both at shortstop and in the lineup last season for the Phillies after signing a 1-year deal in his comeback from Tommy John surgery. The 30-year old veteran appeared in all 60 games and was arguably the Phils’ top hitter, posting a team-best 61 hits, along with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs. Gregorius also proved valuable with his defense. He ranked in the top 5 of shortstops in double plays, putouts, and range factor per 9 innings while allowing Jean Segura to migrate initially to 3rd base then to 2nd over the course of the season.
As it stands, the Phillies have a lot more problems than just filling the hole at shortstop. The bullpen needs to be rebuilt from the ground up; another proven starting pitcher needs to be added, and oh yeah, the best catcher in baseball requires a record-breaking contract to return.
With resources spread thin, the large, multi-year deal Gregorius has earned himself isn’t likely to come from the Phillies.
Here’s what will be missed.
Batting Order Bodyguard
Gregorius received the majority of his plate appearances (97), batting 5th and split some time between the 4th and 6th spots in the lineup. Hitting in the 5th spot meant more than just another power bat; it turned Gregorius into the bodyguard of the top half of the order, precisely that of J.T. Realmuto. Realmuto was almost always slotted in the cleanup position — one before Gregorius — and benefited greatly from Didi’s strong season at the plate.
Pitchers were forced to throw strikes to Realmuto with Gregorius lurking in the on-deck circle; otherwise, they had to face the consequences — to the tune of Didi’s 40 RBI’s. Losing Realmuto is one thing, but losing the lineup’s protector and mid-order spark plug could send the Phillies’ offense into a tailspin.
Infield Inspector
As I stated before, the Phillies benefitted just as much from Gregorius’ glove as they did his bat. Not only was Didi an improvement over Jean Segura at shortstop, but it was also his consistency at the position that optimized the infield around him. Segura is a strong player and still a good infielder but no longer has the range necessary for an effective shortstop. Segura made a solid effort in transitioning to 3rd base to start the year but excelled defensively at 2nd when Alec Bohm came into the picture later on. Didi’s presence at shortstop allowed Segura to flourish at 2nd base, where he didn’t commit a single error in 239.1 innings, took part in 20 double plays, and posted an above league average 4.21 range-factor per 9 innings.
Gregorius also provided insurance on the left side of the infield regarding the emergence of rookie 3rd baseman Alec Bohm. At the same time, Bohm looked like a deer in the headlights; his rocket-launcher arm, soft hands, and strong instincts still make him a viable option at the position. Bohm’s defensive confidence grew over the course of the season, partially from experience but also from the knowledge that if he couldn’t get to a ball, his shortstop surely could.
Didi’s defensive prowess unlocked a whole new identity in the Phillies infield. If not re-signed, the disappointing Scott Kingery would have to eat innings at 2nd base, Segura would be forced to move back to shortstop, and the infield’s level of play would drop significantly.
What Should Happen?
As much as I like Didi Gregorius and think the Phils’ will suffer from losing him, the other holes in the roster are too significant to warrant giving an expensive multi-year deal to a 30-year old shortstop.
So, where does this leave us?
Scott Kingery
The first option is to stand pat and hope that Scott Kingery can re-emerge from the doldrums of his 2020 season. That would mean sliding Segura back to shortstop, a defensive downgrade, and hoping that Bohm can pick up the slack on the left side of the infield. It would also entail keeping Kingery out of center field — which may be a good thing? — and settling for another season of the Haseley/Quinn platoon in center.
There’s a lot of misguided hope in that scenario — not exactly something the Phils should hang their hat on.
Free Agency
The 2nd option is to look to free agency for a bargain-level shortstop. However, keep in mind that while this year’s crop of shortstops is somewhat bare, next winter’s class is a veritable treasure trove of young superstars, including Corey Seager, Javier Baez, Francisco Lindor, Trevor Story, and Carlos Correa.
The Phillies should look to make a splash next winter, but let’s face it — we’re in win-now mode. A one-year deal with either Marcus Seimen or Andrelton Simmons could be a shrewd move, or bringing back Freddy Galvis is also an intriguing idea.
Trade Market
The 3rd option is to explore the trade market. While a trade for a young star like Lindor or Correa is an interesting idea on the surface, I don’t think that it’s much more than that, for two reasons. The first reason is that the Phillies don’t have much to offer. New team president Dave Dombrowski made his bones by trading for superstars, but those trades were made by delving into Detroit and Boston’s deep farm systems. Philadelphia has no such farm system.
The 2nd reason lies in the Realmuto debacle. Trading away prized prospect Sixto Sanchez and Jorge Alfaro for J.T. was only deemed to be worth it if J.T. was going to be signed to a contract extension. Now it’s December of 2020, and Realmuto is no longer a Phillie.
And so the question remains: what will the Phillies infield look like in 2021?
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