During the offseason, what initially was seen as an imperative signing for the 2021 outlook for the Phillies, Didi Gregorius, has fallen flat based on his expectations heading into the season.
Gregorius played an integral role in the Phillies offense in the shortened pandemic season, hitting .284 with 40 RBI’s, 10 home runs, 10 doubles, and two triples while playing in all 60 games.
Currently, through 75 games this season, he’s practically mirrored those numbers with 39 RBI’s, 10 home runs, 11 doubles, and two triples. However, the average took a significant dive sitting at .218.
Furthermore, for a man who consistently found his name penciled on the lineup card in 2020. Gregorius has missed a solid chunk of time this year dealing with a pseudogout injury to his elbow.
An unfortunate development now faces a brighter spotlight to shine over it. With Rhys Hoskins out for the rest of the season, the Phillies offense will lean heavier on Gregorius to account for more offensive production.
Whether that’s a reasonable ask for the Phillies shortstop or not. That’s the scenario the team faces for the remainder of their chase towards finally bringing back October baseball to south Philadelphia.
Beyond the disappointment of the slugging shortstops offensive output and lack of consistent availability, the Phillies possessed an opportunity during free agency to acquire a shortstop for around the same price tag as Gregorius in Marcus Semian.
Semian signed a one-year $18 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays and is a centerpiece for their explosive offense. Also, output-wise, Gregorius and Semian have experienced a polar opposite swap.
Where the Phillies middle infielder shined last season, the former long-time Athletics shortstop struggled mightily last season. Batting .223, with 23 RBI’s and seven home runs.
This season, Semian has bounced back in a vast way batting .271, with 77 RBI’s and 32 home runs. He also leads the league in doubles at 34 and plate appearances at 560.
Evaluating the 2020 season solely, it’s understandable why the Phillies chose Gregorius over Semian. Although, in 2019, Semian produced numbers similar to this season, and Gregorius looked nearly identical to his current level of play.
Either the Phillies front office wanted to save a few dollars. Which fits their description to a tee, or they placed too much value in the 60 game stretch. A season that saw many players not perform up to their usual standards for a myriad of reasons.
Whichever way, the scope is focused on these results. The undeniable reality here is the front office produced another dud. It’s hard to predict player injuries, but the left-handed power bat looks like a shell of himself even when available. Not to mention the laundry list of defensive miscues that could’ve played a role in the team acquiring Freddy Galvis at the deadline.
There are far more significant concerns the Phillies need to address before reflecting on some poor off-season signings. However, it’s still important to note that after locking down superstar Bryce Harper, the Phillies have failed their star by surrounding him with inconsistent pieces which have fallen well short of expectations.
The post Should the Phillies Have Re-Signed Didi Gregorius? appeared first on Philadelphia Sports Nation.
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