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Yankees: Watch Didi Gregorius and Joe Girardi’s emotional return

ByAdam Weinrib|
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 13: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees is greeted by manager Joe Girardi #28 and Didi Gregorius #18 after he hit a home run in his first MLB at bat during the second inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on August 13, 2016 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 13: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees is greeted by manager Joe Girardi #28 and Didi Gregorius #18 after he hit a home run in his first MLB at bat during the second inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on August 13, 2016 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

The Yankees paid tribute to Joe Girardi, as Didi Gregorius returned, too.

Yankees fan favorites Joe Girardi and Didi Gregorius absolutely deserve full-throated, packed-crowd tributes from the Bronx faithful, but America’s been dealt a bad hand (which they’ve also mismanaged).

Sadly, empty stadiums are what we’ve received in 2020, meaning that Girardi and Gregorius’ interleague return to Yankee Stadium has come with little fanfare, but much online sobbing.

After a series of postponed games due to coronavirus caution, the Phillies have finally arrived in the Boogie Down this week, and the Yanks got right to work on their tributes.

First, they rolled the tape on a well-edited Girardi tribute reel.

Great player, great manager, and a champion in both respects. We miss him in ‘stripes, and still can’t really believe he was sacrificed in favor of Aaron Boone.

Frankly, we can’t fully endorse the move until the Yanks win a ring under this administration (don’t shoot the messenger).

If you thought the Girardi welcome was strange, Yankees Universe, then you’re really going to feel a certain type of way about Didi Gregorius appearing on the big board rocking an unfamiliar shade.

Without fans in the bleachers to give Didi his roll call — the feels, I’m telling ya! It simply isn’t fair.

Hopefully, Gregorius continues to mash, so that his one-year “prove it” deal will result in a multi-year contract in the American League. We’d like to give him the adulation he’s earned.

He got a tribute of his own, following a two-run bottom of the third for the Bombers.

How did his teammates handle the return? Well, Gary Sanchez greeted his old friend with a loving cold shoulder, before he went to bat in the Cole World.

It’s just weird, folks. Real weird.

Of course, these two teams got to play exhibition baseball at Yankee Stadium just a few weeks back, when nothing counted and things were more cordial.

But regular season action with two of our beloveds on the other sideline? During a pandemic? It’s a lot. It’s just a lot.

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