Didi Gregorius ponders options as shortstop market heats up

Even after locking up catcher J.T. Realmuto for the next five seasons, the Phillies have a significant item remaining on their wintertime to-do list.

They need an everyday shortstop.

The work week began Monday with a number of desirable options on the free-agent market, but by early evening the pool had thinned dramatically. Freddy Galvis, Marcus Semien and Andrelton Simmons all went off the board, leaving Didi Gregorius as the last man standing.

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Gregorius spent the 2020 season with the Phillies and was a strong contributor. The Phillies are surely in favor of bringing him back and things seemed to be trending in that direction over the last couple of weeks. In recent days, however, the Phillies learned of Simmons’ willingness to sign a one-year deal and he became their focus. Alas, on Monday night, Simmons did sign a one-year deal — with the Minnesota Twins. It carries a salary of $10.5 million. Logic would dictate that the Phillies were not that high in their offer.

Galvis signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal with Baltimore and Semien, who finished third in the AL MVP voting in 2019, got $18 million in a one-year deal with Toronto.

Gregorius signed a one-year deal worth $14 million with the Phillies before the 2020 season. He was eager to land a multi-year deal this winter. It remains to be seen if that will happen. It probably doesn’t help his cause that the market is leaning toward one-year deals. But that could help the Phillies because they seem to prefer a short term rather than a longer term.

The Cincinnati Reds are also in need of an everyday shortstop and they have interest in Gregorius. However, they, too, seem to favor a one-year deal as they keep the path open for youngster Jose Garcia to arrive in 2022.