No matter how the rest of 2019 goes, Brian Cashman will have a lot of decisions to make this upcoming offseason. How hard he goes after Gerrit Cole may be the main one, but right up there is the imminent free agency of Didi Gregorius. You can make a good case for Didi as an impact player on the field but also off the field, I think he is as crucial as almost anyone in the clubhouse. But it is really hard for me to see how NY and Didi can figure out a deal that makes sense for both sides...
So, if Didi goes elsewhere, NY would have:
3B: Gio Urshela (27, cost-controlled through 2023)
SS: Gleyber Torres (22, cost-controlled through 2024)
2B: DJ LeMahieu (31, signed through 2020)
1B: Luke Voit (28, cost-controlled through 2024)
Plus whoever of Estrada, Wade, Valera, and Holder survives the winter. And this doesn't include Miguel Andujar, who I don't consider an infielder (possibly a 1B, I would guess no), but he is under control through 2023 also and is a hitting machine when healthy.
Bogaerts is almost three years younger, he signed for 6/120, so that is a ceiling, I'd guess maybe something like 3/54 as a floor. I don't see from a pure baseball perspective how that makes sense for NY at any point in that range, but thinking this through more as I type, NY will offer him the 1/18 qualifying offer which would give him a shot to put up a fully healthy season and then hit FA with more value. That is the only possible common ground IMO, I hope it happens because people will remember Didi was my favorite Yankee from early on for a few years until Judge showed up.
TL/DR: I think the only way Didi is a Yankee next year is if he takes the 1/18 qualifying offer, assuming no major injuries to the guys listed above.
So, if Didi goes elsewhere, NY would have:
3B: Gio Urshela (27, cost-controlled through 2023)
SS: Gleyber Torres (22, cost-controlled through 2024)
2B: DJ LeMahieu (31, signed through 2020)
1B: Luke Voit (28, cost-controlled through 2024)
Plus whoever of Estrada, Wade, Valera, and Holder survives the winter. And this doesn't include Miguel Andujar, who I don't consider an infielder (possibly a 1B, I would guess no), but he is under control through 2023 also and is a hitting machine when healthy.
Bogaerts is almost three years younger, he signed for 6/120, so that is a ceiling, I'd guess maybe something like 3/54 as a floor. I don't see from a pure baseball perspective how that makes sense for NY at any point in that range, but thinking this through more as I type, NY will offer him the 1/18 qualifying offer which would give him a shot to put up a fully healthy season and then hit FA with more value. That is the only possible common ground IMO, I hope it happens because people will remember Didi was my favorite Yankee from early on for a few years until Judge showed up.
TL/DR: I think the only way Didi is a Yankee next year is if he takes the 1/18 qualifying offer, assuming no major injuries to the guys listed above.