| Didi Gregorius | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Gregorius with theNew York Yankees in 2017 | |
| Algodoneros de Unión Laguna – No. 18 | |
| Shortstop | |
| Born: (1990-02-18)February 18, 1990 (age 35) Amsterdam,Netherlands | |
Bats: Left Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 5, 2012, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
| MLB statistics (through 2022 season) | |
| Batting average | .257 |
| Hits | 999 |
| Home runs | 134 |
| Runs batted in | 530 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
Mariekson Julius "Didi"Gregorius (born February 18, 1990) is aCuraçaoan-Dutch professionalbaseballshortstop for theAlgodoneros de Unión Laguna of theMexican League. He has previously played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theCincinnati Reds,Arizona Diamondbacks,New York Yankees, andPhiladelphia Phillies.
Gregorius was born inAmsterdam to Johannes Gregorius Sr., a Dutch professional baseball player. His family moved toCuraçao when Gregorius was five years old, at which point he began playingtee-ball and youth baseball. MLBscouts began taking notice of Gregorius when he was a teenager, and he signed with the Reds in 2007 after they offered to bring him to the United States. Gregorius' rise through the Reds'farm system was hindered in 2011 when a chronickidney malfunction caused him to miss two months of the season, but he made his major league debut in September 2012. After the 2012 season, with Gregorius' path to the majors blocked by startingshortstopZack Cozart, Cincinnati traded him to Arizona, where he split his playing time withChris Owings andCliff Pennington.
The Yankees, searching for a shortstop to replace the recently retiredDerek Jeter, acquired Gregorius in December 2014, and he spent the next five seasons with the team. Gregorius improved his batting with the Yankees: in addition to breaking Jeter's single-seasonhome run record in 2017, he put up 20 or more home runs in three consecutive seasons. Despite missing several weeks of the2019 season while recovering fromTommy John surgery, Gregorius continued tohit for power upon his return, with a postseasongrand slam securing the Yankees' place in the2019 American League Championship Series. The Yankees chose not to extend his contract at the end of the season, and the Phillies signed Gregorius as afree agent that winter. Gregorius' first two seasons with the Phillies were hindered by theCOVID-19 pandemic, associatedvisa issues, and a battle withpseudogout, and hebatted a career low .209 in 2021.
In addition to playing in MLB, Gregorius has represented theDutch national baseball team at theBaseball World Cup and theWorld Baseball Classic. At the2011 Baseball World Cup, he and his teammates received honoraryknighthood after defeatingCuba in the gold medal match.
Gregorius was born inAmsterdam on February 18, 1990. His father, Johannes Gregorius Sr., worked as acarpenter andpitched for theAmsterdam Pirates of theHonkbal Hoofdklasse, the Dutch professionalbaseball league,[1] while his mother, Sheritsa Stroop, had previously played for theNetherlands women's national softball team.[2] Gregorius' paternal grandfather, Antonio, was also a baseball player, pitching in four games for theNetherlands Antilles at the1955 Pan American Games.[3]
The Gregorius family moved from Amsterdam toCuraçao in 1995, to follow Gregorius Sr.'s baseball career. Gregorius, inspired by his older brother Johannes Jr., began playingtee-ball andLittle League Baseball in the Netherlands, and took up drawing in his free time.[3] In addition to baseball, Gregorius playedsoccer andbasketball throughout his childhood, but he was not as invested in those other sports.[1]
Jim Stoeckel, ascout for theCincinnati Reds ofMajor League Baseball (MLB), became interested in Gregorius after watching him play an under-18 tournament with theDutch Antilles in 2006.[1] The Reds signed Gregorius as an internationalfree agent two years later at the behest of Stoeckel, for asigning bonus of $50,000.[4] TheSeattle Mariners andSan Diego Padres had also expressed interest in Gregorius, but he chose to sign with the Reds because they offered him an opportunity to begin playing professional baseball in the United States rather than in theVenezuelan orDominican Summer Leagues.[5] He made his professional baseball debut in 2008 with theGulf Coast Reds, aRookie League team. His rookie outing was mostly unremarkable, with a .155batting average in 109plate appearances, as well as 10strikeouts and 12errors in 134 chances.[6]
In 2009, Gregorius primarily appeared with the rookie–levelBillings Mustangs of thePioneer League, batting .314 in 50 games, but he also played in theHigh–AFlorida State League for theSarasota Reds.[7] In 22 games with Sarasota, Gregorius batted .254, with eight runs, fourdoubles, and two RBI.[8] The following year, while playing with theSingle–ADayton Dragons, the Reds'farm system took notice of Gregorius' powerful infield arm, as well as his speed on the base path: he fell onetriple short of the club record with 11, andstole 16 bases, in addition to hitting .273 with fivehome runs.[9] On August 31, afterMiguel Rojas was promoted toDouble–A, Gregorius joined the High–ALynchburg Hillcats to serve as that team's starting shortstop.[10] He played seven games with Lynchburg, batting .240 with sixhits and four runs.[7] After the regular season, Gregorius played in theAustralian Baseball League with theCanberra Cavalry, where he was named as the ABL's Defensive Player of the Year.[11] Despite batting only .189, he enjoyed his time in Australia, and said that playing against major league veterans helped him when he returned to the United States.[12]
During a routine test in the spring of 2011, doctors found that Gregorius had elevated blood levels ofcholesterol and proteins, as well ashypertension. He was initially suspected of usingperformance-enhancing substances, but further tests revealed a kidney malfunction. Gregorius was ordered not to play baseball and to adopt avegetarian diet; these lifestyle changes, combined with a medication regimen, allowed him to return to the field after two months of recovery.[13] When he returned to the field, it was with the High–ABakersfield Blaze, before a midseason promotion to the Double–ACarolina Mudcats.[14] Between the two teams, Gregorius batted .289 for the season, with seven home runs, 44 RBI, and 48 runs in 84 games and 363 plate appearances.[7] That November, Gregorius was one of six players that the Reds added to their40-man roster to protect him from theRule 5 draft.[15]
Gregorius entered the 2012 season as a top Double–A prospect with thePensacola Blue Wahoos. Through the first 80 games of the season, he batted .282 with one home run, 31 RBI, 45 runs, and three stolen bases, enough to receive midseason All-Star honors from theSouthern League.[16] After 81 games in Pensacola, the Reds promoted Gregorius to theTriple–ALouisville Bats of theInternational League.[17] In 48 games there, he batted .243 with six home runs, 23 RBI, and 25 runs in 202 plate appearances.[7]
ASeptember call-up for the Reds,[18] Gregorius made his major league debut on September 5, 2012, starting in place ofZack Cozart for a 6–2 loss to thePhiladelphia Phillies.[19] In eight games at the end of the season, Gregorius batted .300 with two RBI.[20] After the season, Gregorius played in theArizona Fall League, helping take thePeoria Javelinas to a championship title by batting .278 with one home run and eight RBIs in 74 at bats.[21][22]
Gregorius' future with the Reds was hindered by Cozart, a more experienced shortstop who was presumed to have more offensive power, and thus he became an attractive trade target for Cincinnati after the 2012 season.[5] On December 11, 2012, Gregorius was part of a three-team trade for Cincinnati: initially, he andDrew Stubbs were sent to theCleveland Indians in exchange for outfielderShin-Soo Choo and infielderJason Donald, but, as the Indians already had an established shortstop inAsdrubal Cabrera, they traded Gregorius to theArizona Diamondbacks to acquire pitcherTrevor Bauer.[23]
Later that month, Gregorius injured his elbow while playing catch, and he was unable to resume throwing untilspring training had already begun. The Diamondbacks agreed to start Gregorius with the Triple-AReno Aces until his rehab assignment was completed, but afterAaron Hill was sidelined with a fractured hand, Gregorius was called up to start at second base. In the first pitch of his first at-bat on April 18, 2013, Gregorius hit his first major league home run off ofNew York Yankees pitcherPhil Hughes. He was the seventh Diamondback to hit a home run in his first at-bat with the team, and the first to do so on the first pitch.[24] On April 27, Gregorius washit by a pitch fromColorado Rockies relieverJosh Outman. He was struck in the right temple with a 93 mph (150 km/h) fastball and fell to the ground; ultimately, Gregorius was able to leave the plate on his own, andCliff Pennington filled in as apinch runner.[25] He was placed on the seven-day concussion list after the game and was reinstated on May 4.[26] Gregorius put up a sturdy .252 average in 103 games, but began to lose playing time towards the end of the season due to his inefficiency against left-handed pitchers, averaging only .200 with a .267on-base percentage.[27]
Gregorius entered spring training in 2014 in competition with prospectChris Owings for the starting shortstop role within the Diamondbacks organization.[27] Owings was ultimately named to the Diamondbacks'opening day roster, with Gregorius sent to Triple-A in the most controversial roster decision of the season. Previously,general managerKevin Towers and managerKirk Gibson had suggested that Owings and Gregorius would both make the 25-man roster and split time in the middle infield, especially as outfielderCody Ross was starting the season on thedisabled list, but Towers instead optioned Gregorius to the minors and told reporters that he would be called up in case of injury.[28] That June, Pennington, serving as the team's backup shortstop, suffered an injury that forced Arizona to call up Gregorius. Gibson wanted to keep Owings as the starting infielder, but intended to split his playing time with Gregorius more equitably than Owings had split with Pennington.[29] Gregorius played in 80 major league games in 2014, batting .226 in 270 at bats, with six home runs, 27 RBIs, and 35 runs. He played 67 of those games at shortstop, with 11 at second base and two at third base.[30]
Derek Jeter, the longtime shortstop for the New York Yankees, announced in February 2014 that he would retire at the end of the year, leaving the team to find an appropriate replacement.Hanley Ramirez,Troy Tulowitzki, andJ. J. Hardy were all speculated as acquisition targets for the team, who ultimately focused on acquiring Gregorius.[31] The Yankees acquired Gregorius on December 5, 2014, in a three-team trade with Arizona and theDetroit Tigers: Gregorius went from Arizona to New York,Shane Greene went from New York to Detroit, andRobbie Ray andDomingo Leyba went from Detroit to Arizona.[32]
Gregorius, who was named the opening day shortstop for the Yankees, told reporters that he was not worried about having to replace Jeter, and that he was more focused on his own performance than any comparisons to the previous infielder.[33] He struggled through the first part of the season, making six errors by the end of May and batting only .222, but he began to find his stride in June, committing only one error between June 7 and August 3 and increasing his batting average to .260 in the same span.[34] On August 28, Gregorius went 4-for-5 with one home run and set a career-high six RBIs in a 15–4 rout of theAtlanta Braves. His first-inning home run was the seventh of the season, and came only a day after his sixth.[35] In his first season with the Yankees, Gregorius played in 155 games, batting .265 with a career-high nine home runs and 56 RBIs.[30] After the season ended, Gregorius was named a finalist for theAmerican League (AL)Gold Glove Award at shortstop,[36] an award which ultimately went toAlcides Escobar of theKansas City Royals.[37]
Gregorius, who entered the2016 season last in thebatting order, had a breakout year, setting career highs with a .447slugging percentage, 32 doubles, 20 home runs, and 70 RBIs. He told reporters that he had not focused on hitting home runs, and that he was actually working online drives, but that, "If they go out, they go out."[38] He had spent the offseason working with fellow Curaçao nativeHensley Meulens, the hitting coach for theSan Francisco Giants. Meulens focused on improving Gregorius' efficacy against left-handed pitchers, and by mid-July, his .366 average against southpaws was the best in the league among left-handed hitters.[39] On June 29, Gregorius hit his firstwalk-off home run of his major league career, a two-run blast against theTexas Rangers, the team at the time with the best record in the AL.[40] The 2016 Yankees season was considered an overall disappointment, but Gregorius' performance established him as a central piece as the team looked ahead towards rebuilding during the offseason.[41]
Prior to the2017 season, Gregorius suffered a shoulder injury while fielding a double play during the2017 World Baseball Classic. He was required to spend two weeks engaging in no baseball activity, followed by an estimated four weeks of rehab assignments, leaving the Yankees without an opening day shortstop.[42] He began a series of rehab assignments for theTampa Yankees on April 22, with an estimated major league return date of May 1.[43] Gregorius was activated on April 28, starting in a 14–11 win over theBaltimore Orioles.[44] Upon his return, Gregorius said that he felt "locked in" at the plate, putting up an eight-game hitting streak in mid-July, with home runs in three consecutive games.[45] He was a finalist for a position in the 2017MLB All-Star Game, but the fan vote ultimately went toMike Moustakas of the Royals.[46] On September 4, 2017, Gregorius hit his 20th home run of the year, becoming the first Yankees shortstop to knock in 20 or more home runs in back-to-back seasons.[47] Later that month, on September 20, Gregorius hit his 25th home run of the season, passing Jeter's record for most single-season home runs by a Yankees shortstop.[48] Limited to 136 games with his shoulder injury, Gregorius batted .287 for the regular season, with 87 RBIs and 73 runs.[30]
Facing theMinnesota Twins in the2017 American League Wild Card Game, Gregorius hit a game-tying three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning, helping the Yankees to take the game 8–4 and advance to the2017 American League Division Series (ALDS).[49] In the series-deciding Game 5 of the ALDS, Gregorius hit two home runs against IndiansaceCorey Kluber. The Yankees defeated the Indians 5–2 and advanced to the2017 American League Championship Series (ALCS),[50] and Gregorius became the second Yankee to hit two home runs in a winner-take-all postseason match.[51] The Yankees lost the ALCS to theHouston Astros in seven games.[52]
Gregorius began the2018 season with a career-high eight-RBI performance in the Yankee's April 3 home opener against theTampa Bay Rays, helping to push the team to an 11–4 victory.[53] Through the month of April, Gregorius led the league with 10 home runs, 30 RBIs, and a .766 slugging percentage,[54] and he received both AL Player of the Week and Player of the Month honors at the end of the month.[55] His performance in April was followed by a slump through May and the start of June, during which Gregorius batted .177 and scored only one home run. He snapped this dry spell with two home runs against theWashington Nationals on June 12. In addition to putting Gregorius back on pace to record 20 home runs in a season, he also became, in that game, the first Yankees shortstop to have three multi-home run games in a season.[56] Gregorius batted .268 for the regular season, with 86 RBIs and 89 runs in 504 at bats.[30] His 27 home runs, meanwhile, helped the Yankees break the MLB single-season record, set by the Seattle Mariners in 1997;Gleyber Torres had the honor of hitting the Yankees' 265th home run of the year on September 29.[57]
On September 23, 2018, Gregorius' game-winning run against the Orioles helped the Yankees clinch aWild Card berth, but he tore the cartilage in his wrist while sliding home, leaving it in question whether he would be healthy for the postseason.[58] He received acortisone shot and returned to the lineup on September 28 for the final game of the regular season, an 11–6 rout of the Red Sox.[59] The Yankees beat theOakland Athletics 7–2 in the Wild Card game, with Gregorius scoring an RBI on asacrifice fly that brought homeLuke Voit.[60] Gregorius struggled defensively against the Red Sox in the2018 ALDS, uncharacteristically missing throws in Games 3 and 4. The Red Sox took the series in four games.[61]
Gregorius, who had already suffered an "asymptomatic" partialulnar collateral ligament tear when he was acquired by the Yankees in 2014, aggravated his injury when he made a throw from the outfield in Game 2 of the ALCS. He had been able to push through the rest of the Yankees' playoff run, but requiredTommy John surgery after the season to repair the elbow.[62] Gregorius subsequently began the2019 season on the 60-day injured list, and was activated on June 7, 2019, after eight months of rehab.[63] On July 23, Gregorius batted a perfect 5-for-5 against the Minnesota Twins, picking up seven RBIs to help the Yankees win 14–12 in extra innings. It was the second time that Gregorius had gone 4-for-4 or better with seven RBIs in a game, joiningLou Gehrig andJoe DiMaggio as the only Yankees to accomplish the feat multiple times.[64] In the sixth inning of that same game, Gregorius hit his 100th career home run, off of Twins right-handerKyle Gibson.[65] He finished the regular season with a .238 average in 324 at bats, with 16 home runs, 61 RBIs, and 47 runs.[30] The Yankees faced the Twins again in the2019 ALDS, and in Game 2, Gregorius hit the first ever postseasongrand slam by a Yankees shortstop.[66] The Yankees advanced to the2019 ALCS, but were defeated in six games by the Houston Astros.[67] On November 4, 2019, the Yankees chose not to extend a $17.8 millionqualifying offer to Gregorius, making him a free agent.[68]
ThePhiladelphia Phillies signed Gregorius to a one-year, $14 million contract on December 16, 2019; he and pitcherZack Wheeler were considered the team's most important free agent acquisitions for the 2019–20 offseason.[69] The2020 MLB season was delayed until July and shortened to 60 regular-season games due to theCOVID-19 pandemic; Gregorius' kidney disorder meant that he was considered "high-risk" for the virus, and he had an opportunity to decline playing during the pandemic and earn a protracted salary. Instead, Gregorius chose to remain the team's starting shortstop and to wear a face mask at all times on the field.[70] Gregorius proved to be an offensive strength for the Phillies in the pandemic-shortened season: among all MLB shortstops, he was third in RBIs (40), fifth in hits (61) and home runs (10), and sixth in batting average (.286). Additionally, he hit .345 for the season with runners in scoring position.[71]
The Phillies resigned Gregorius to a two-year, $28 million contract on February 10, 2021.[72] Due to the continued effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gregorius was one of seven Phillies who ran intovisa issues and reported late to 2021 spring training. Girardi was unconcerned about Gregorius' late start to training camp, telling reporters, "I would expect that Didi's in pretty good shape because that's who he is and that's what I'm used to seeing."[73] On March 29, Gregorius was named as the Phillies' starting shortstop for the2021 season, splitting the middle infield withJean Segura.[74] On opening day, Gregorius made an over-the-shoulder catch to stopOzzie Albies and help take the game to extra innings, where the Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 3–2.[75] In mid-April, Gregorius injured his elbow while making a catch, and missed three games due to swelling in the area. He initially avoided going on the injured list as doctors drained the elbow, but a recurrent swelling in mid-May forced him out of the lineup again.[76] The elbow injury continued to hinder Gregorius through a series of rehab assignments with theLehigh Valley IronPigs, and on June 16, he was diagnosed withpseudogout and was able to begin an appropriate treatment program.[77] He returned to the lineup on July 2, after missing a total of 41 games to the injury. In his first game off of the injured list, Gregorius hit a solo home run in the fifth inning of a 4–3 extra innings win against the San Diego Padres.[78] Gregorius proceeded to have the worst season of his MLB career, batting only .210 with a .667on-base plus slugging (OPS) in his first 200 at bats following his stint on the injured list. The shortstop blamed his offensive difficulties on the effects of theCOVID-19 vaccine, which he claimed led to his battle with pseudogout, a conclusion that doctors at theChildren's Hospital of Philadelphia said was incorrect.[79] Gregorius batted .209 in 103 games for the Phillies, with 13 home runs and 54 RBIs in 368 at bats.[30] He was released by the Phillies on August 4, 2022.[80][81]
On May 1, 2023, Gregorius signed with theAlgodoneros de Unión Laguna of theMexican League.[82] In 26 games for the Algodoneros, he hit .359/.431/.777 with 11 home runs and 34 RBI.[83]
On June 8, 2023, Gregorius signed a minor league contract with theSeattle Mariners organization.[84] In 25 games for the Triple–ATacoma Rainiers, he hit .192/.282/.337 with 3 home runs and 10 RBI. Gregorius opted out of his contract and became a free agent on August 2.[85]
On October 23, 2023, Gregorius was selected third overall in the inauguralBaseball United draft by the Dubai Wolves.[86] During the league's all-star showcase event in November 2023, Gregorius went a combined 2 for 8 with a double for the United West All-Stars.[87]
On April 7, 2024, Gregorius signed again with theAlgodoneros de Unión Laguna of theMexican League.[88] In 74 appearances for the Algodoneros, he hit .262/.363/.410 with seven home runs, 43 RBI, and six stolen bases.
Gregorius re-signed with Laguna for a second consecutive season in 2025.[citation needed]
Gregorius first represented the Netherlands internationally while playing for theDutch national baseball team at the2009 Baseball World Cup. At the2011 Baseball World Cup, after the Netherlands defeatedCuba 2–1 in the final match, Gregorius and his teammates wereknighted under theOrder of Orange-Nassau, 5th class.[89] Since then, Gregorius' official title is "Sir", which he has incorporated into hisTwitter handle.[90]
While working out to represent the Netherlands in the2013 World Baseball Classic, Gregorius suffered a strained ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow, which kept him out of the tournament and much of spring training.[91] Gregorius did participate in the 2017 tournament, serving primarily as adesignated hitter on a Dutch national team with an ample selection of MLB shortstops.[92] He was an offensive success, batting .348 with one home run and eight RBIs, helping to take the Dutch team to the semifinals, before ahematoma of thesubscapularis muscle in Gregorius' shoulder forced him to pull out of the tournament early.[93] He represented theNetherlands national baseball team at the2023 World Baseball Classic and2024 WBSC Premier12.[94][95] During the latter, he was named to theAll-World Team as the best shortstop.[96]
Gregorius was announced as part of theCuraçao Suns roster that would represent Curaçao in the2024 Caribbean Series inMiami.[97]
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Gregorius adopted the nickname "Didi" in 2009, when his American teammates had trouble pronouncing the name "Mariekson". His father and brother also go by "Didi".[2] Gregorius, like many Curaçao natives, is fluent in four languages: English, Spanish, Dutch, andPapiamento.[3] In his free time, he enjoysphotography,[3] and he picked uptattooing when the COVID-19 pandemic paused the 2020 MLB season.[98]
While playing with the Yankees, Gregorius began to post "victorytweets" after every winning game, often accompanied by the hashtag "#startspreadingthenews".[99] These tweets would often incorporate specificemojis that Gregorius had assigned to various teammates.[100] Gregorius briefly stopped posting during the start of the 2019 season, while he was recovering from Tommy John surgery, because he "didn't want to make [the wins] all about me", but resumed when he was activated from the injured list.[99] He continued the tradition after signing with the Philadelphia Phillies, telling reporters that he would "have new emojis" for his new teammates.[98]
