Ex-Yankees MVP Candidate Released By Phillies Prior To Playoff Push

It appears as if the Didi Gregorius experiment is done in Philadephia.

The struggling middle infielder was released by the Phillies organization Thursday, per the team.

Gregorius hit just .210 with 14 extra-base hits and one home run in 63 games for the Phillies this season. He wraps up his tenure hitting .230 with 67 extra-base hits including 24 home runs and 113 RBIs in 226 games over the span of three seasons in Philadelphia.

While his time in Philly did not go as planned and ended on a sour note, Gregorious was once the heir to Derek Jeter’s throne.

When Jeter retired, the New York Yankees put the pressure on Gregorius to man the position of their former captain. While the then-25-year-old shortstop was quickly passed over for the role of face of the franchise by budding superstar Aaron Judge, the middle infielder was a highly productive player in pinstripes.

From 2015 to 2019, Gregorious hit .269 with 228 extra-base hits including 97 home runs, 360 RBIs and 27 steals in 660 games with the Yankees. He finished 20th in American League MVP voting in 2017 and again in 2018.

Phillies fans might not remember Gregorius fondly, but the Yankees faithful surely will.