Yankees: Is there any chance Didi Gregorius gets non-tendered?

Didi Gregorius is expected to miss a large portion of next season recovering from Tommy John surgery, but that shouldn’t stop him from getting a big pay raise in arbitration this January. That is unless the Yankees decide to non-tender Didi before Friday’s 8 pm deadline and let him become a free agent this offseason.

It’s hard to believe that the Yankees would ever consider letting Didi walk this offseason, but crazier things have happened before. Didi is projected to make $12.4 million in arbitration this season according to MLB Trade Rumors which is certainly a lot for a player who is expected to miss the entire first half of the 2019 season.

Didi will also be a free agent next offseason so unless he and the Yankees can agree on an extension one can understand why the organization might be somewhat hesitant to pay him. Especially if Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner truly have interest in aggressively pursuing Manny Machado to be the team’s starting shortstop next season and beyond.

Now I know some might think $12.4 million is way too much money to pay one player to only play in 40-60 games (and the playoffs) but when that player is Didi Gregorius I think you have to do it. Sure you run the risk of Didi not returning to full form after he returns from the DL, but considering he’s a position player and not a pitcher the odds are that he’ll be the same great player when he comes back. And if that’s the case I don’t think there’s any question the Yankees should tender him and pay him what he deserves in arbitration.

I don’t think it’s an overstatement to say that last season Didi may have been the Yankees best all-around player. Sure Aaron Judge is the biggest star but he missed a lot of time due to injury in 2018 and over the past three seasons there hasn’t been a more consistent performer on the Yankee roster than Sir Didi.

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All offseason I’ve been of the belief that the Yankees should stay away from Machado and commit to Didi long-term at shortstop and Miguel Andujar at third base. Now I’m not saying the Yankees should sign Didi to an extension this offseason because he is hurt and it wouldn’t be wise to sign him long term until after he’s back on the field producing.

However, once he comes back and starts producing again the Yanks should do everything they can to sign him to a big free agent deal next winter.

I’d be absolutely shocked if the Yankees decided to non-tender Didi before Friday’s deadline and just let him go after all he’s done during his first four seasons in pinstripes. Especially because if they do tender him, once he comes back he’s going to make what should be an already great team even better down the stretch heading into the playoffs.

While some contenders will be looking to add an impact bat via trade next summer the Yanks won’t have to because they’ll Didi waiting in the wings. And it won’t cost them any of their top prospects.

I get why some around the game might believe there’s an outside chance that the Yankees non-tender Didi because of the financial ramifications. However the main goal next season isn’t to save money, it’s to win a championship and I don’t think the Yankees can do that in 2019 without Didi on the team.