An ode to Sir Didi

Didi Gregorius has been lighting up opposing pitchers since the beginning of last year.  It’s been about as auspicious as one would think considering the talent he plays around.  He was overshadowed by the mighty Aaron Judge and his killer rookie season, and has been playing second fiddle to the newly dubbed “Tape Measure Trilogy” of Judge, Gary Sanchez, and Giancarlo Stanton.

Didi may not be as sexy as the other three with their moonshot home runs and larger than life personas, but he is the glue that holds this Yankee team together.  Without Didi Gregorius and his clutch three-run homer to counteract Luis Severino’s horrendous Wild Card start, there is no Yankees postseason run.  Without his two home runs against the Indians in the ALDS, the Yankees may be in a totally different spot than they are now.

Sir Didi isn’t only a great ballplayer on the field;  He’s just as important off the field.  Whether it be his infectious smile, his antics in the dugout, or his cheerful emoji tweets after every Yankees victory, Didi Gregorius is the guy that keeps the clubhouse light.

The man can produce, as shown by statline of .287 BA, 25 HR, 87 RBI last season.   He was acquired from the Diamondbacks in a three team trade, with the D-Backs sending him, the Tigers sending Robbie Ray to Arizona, and the Yankees sending Shane Greene to the Tigers.  Ray has been great in Arizona, and Greene has been inconsistent, but Didi has shined under the bright lights of the Bronx.

Considering he stepped in as a nobody and had to replace possibly the most popular Yankee in history, Didi has not only become a fan favorite but has not missed a beat as the Yankees new shortstop.  He was most definitely laboring at the beginning of his tenure due to the pressure of replacing Jeter, but he has made a home on the Yankees and has become a fan favorite.

How has he started this year?  Well, he’s currently batting .444 with two HR and nine RBI.  He is coming off one of the best single game performances by a shortstop, stockpiling eight RBI in an 11-4 win over the Rays.  In addition, Gregorious has been silky smooth in the field, capturing web gems and the hearts of all Yankee fans.

So before you go buying an Aaron Judge jersey, you might want to watch #18 in the pinstripes play some shortstop.  He’ll never be on the level that those three are, but you may just wind up falling in love with his game.  After all, who can resist that mile wide smile?