Phillies Release Didi Gregorius In Flurry of Roster Moves

Didi Gregorius has struggled over the last two seasons, hitting just .210 for the Phillies.

The Philadelphia Phillies announced several roster moves on Thursday, including the release of shortstop Didi Gregorius.

Gregorius has struggled mightily over the last two seasons in Philadelphia, slashing .210/.267/.345 with 14 home runs and 73 RBI. The 32-year-old has been especially unproductive this season, hitting just .210/.263/.304 with one home run and 19 RBI over 63 games.

“We’ve had a long history going back to the Yankees, a lot of really good times, a lot of playoff games,” Phillies interim manager Rob Thomson, who also coached Gregorius in New York, said, per NJ.com's Bill Evans. “I have a lot of respect for him. He’s been a really good player for a really long time. It was a difficult decision, but we think the right decision.”

The infielder's recent output is far from what Gregorius achieved with New York or in his first season with the Phillies in 2020. Gregorius slashed .284/.339/.488 with 10 home runs and 40 RBI during that pandemic-shortened, 60-game season. Before that, he morphed from a glove-first guy to an impact hitter with the Yankees, smacking 72 longballs from 2016-2018 while hitting .277 over that span.

While Gregorius' offensive production has plummeted in recent years, he's still young enough to straighten things out. However, it would be a surprise if his next opportunity penciled him in as a starter. 

Gregorius began his career with the Reds and Diamondbacks before he was traded to the Yankees.

With Gregorius gone, rookie Bryson Stott will take over as Philadelphia's everyday shortstop. Jean Segura, meanwhile, will play second base after being activated off the 60-day injured list on Thursday. Segura broke his finger in May.

The Phillies' moves did not stop there. Center fielder Brandon Marsh and right-handed starter Noah Syndergaard, two of the club's biggest trade acquisitions, also reported to the club. Meanwhile, right-hander Kyle Gibson was activated from the bereavement list.