Didi Gregorius Says Yankees ‘Made It Perfectly Clear’ Gerrit Cole Was Priority

There appears to be more to the Didi Gregorius-New York Yankees divorce than originally met the eye.

The shortstop signed a one-year, $14 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies on Dec. 10, just hours before the media caught wind of Gerrit Cole’s record deal with New York. And according to Gregorius, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman apparently was focused on other things besides re-signing him.

“Cashman made it loud and clear that Cole was their priority,” Gregorius said Monday, per MLB Network’s Bryan Hoch. “I think he only called once. That was it. Nothing else happened. If that happens, I have to look for a place to play. I was in contact with the Phillies. Everything was good and now I’m here.”

Yikes.

Gregorius spent five seasons with the Yankees, averaging .269 at the plate with 97 home runs and 360 RBIs.

Will Cashman and the Yankees wind up regretting this decision? Only time will tell.