Gregorius and Ryan Could Possibly Platoon

Brian Cashman tossed around the idea of platooning newly acquired Didi Gregorius and Brendan Ryan at shortstop this upcoming season. It’s interesting, because both players lack the offensive talents to play the role of an everyday shortstop. At least for now, Gregorius’ offensive ability is lackluster, and Ryan hasn’t shown any positive attributes at the plate.

In the last three seasons, Gregorius, a left-hander, batted .137 against lefties, and .247 against righties. Ryan, a right-hander, posted a .208 average against lefties and .183 against righties. Obviously Ryan would be in the lineup when a left-handed pitcher was on the mound, but it doesn’t seem like it would make much of a difference. 

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Basically, the Yankees are in trouble when in comes to offensive production from their shortstops. Both are sound defenders, known for their smooth fielding.

Replacing Derek Jeter is tough, but when you look at his stats from last season, his replacements don’t look too bad. Most likely, Gregorius will play most of the games at short, and should develop into the player the Yankees need. The organization knows he’s not at his full potential yet; they hope he will be soon, but it’s a lot to ask for. The 24-year-old has many years ahead of him, and hopefully his swing will fall into place. He’s a line drive hitter, who will hopefully use the gaps to his advantage and get on base often.

Ryan, on the other hand, needs to continue his stellar defense, and he’ll have a spot on the roster. The slick fielding shortstop is in final year of his contract, not including his player option.

A platoon at shortstop seems like the right call for the Yankees, but the off-season is still young, and another move may occur. Until then, know that they are very limited, and if you’re looking for a .300 batting average from a shortstop, watch some old games from the early 2000s–now that’s a guy who can play shortstop.