In needing to step into big shoes left by Derek Jeter, New York Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius did very well to make fans understand that while he is not Jeter, he can still play the position at a high level. Now as a free agent, Gregorius looks to be the best shortstop on the market this winter, helping drive up his price to the highest bidder.
According to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, the team decided not to offer up a qualifying offer to Gregorius, sending the former Cincinnati Red and Arizona Diamondback into free agency to search for the best deal available. With plenty of teams with a hole at shortstop, there should be no issues with Gregorius finding work quickly.
The first-time entrant into free agency, suitors like the Milwaukee Brewers, Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers (if they decide to move on from Corey Seager), the Oakland Athletics, and other teams should be in the running for him from the get-go. Even though he was plagued with injuries in 2019, hitting 16 home runs and driving in 61 across 82 games is nothing to scoff at.
The 30-year-old should receive some sort of a three or four-year agreement, totaling out to around $45 million, which may knock some of the smaller-market franchises out of the running for him. But as what happened last year, the better free agents were frozen out of bigger deals and had to settle for one-year agreements for less money, which obviously could happen again this season too.
One of seven members of the Yankees to become free agents, Gregorius looks to be the one in line for the biggest jump in pay, which may ultimately limit the number of teams that are able to sign him to his first big free-agent deal.
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