Yankees can’t afford to lose Didi Gregorius to injury

Didi Gregorius isn’t the Yankees’ biggest star, but he would be impossible for the team to replace. They cannot afford to lose him to a serious injury.

Two big bats are already missing from the Yankees order due to injury. The team cannot afford Didi Gregorius to join Gary Sanchez and Aaron Judge on the disabled list. Losing the shortstop for any appreciable period of time would be really difficult for Aaron Boone’s team to overcome.

Unfortunately, the entire organization faces a nervous wait about the status of Gregorius’ heel. He was injured on Sunday afternoon via a collision at first base against the Blue Jays. It’s unclear exactly what happened to the social media maven, but he was taken to the hospital for further testing.

Removing his bat from the middle of the order might be the straw that breaks the back of the Yankees offense. He’s slashing .270/.333/.482 on the season. His power numbers are excellent for a middle infielder. Gregorius already has 22 home runs and 74 RBIs in 118 games on the year. Again, he isn’t the brightest star in Boone’s batting order, but he’s a crucial piece of the attack.

Gregorius also has a tremendous presence in the Yankees locker room. He’s universally liked by his teammates due to his infectious smile and gregarious personality. He’s terrific on the diamond, but his impact on his team goes well beyond his play on the field.

If Gregorius is forced to miss significant time, expect Ronald Torreyes to get most of the playing time at shortstop. He’s a fan favorite due to the energy he brings to the diamond, and he’s hit the ball pretty well during his 26 games this season. He can’t match any of Gregorius’ power numbers, but he is capable of getting on base at a similar rate.

Tyler Wade would also likely be called up to shoulder some of the load. He’s a classic middle infielder in the sense that he’s fast and features a good glove. Unfortunately, he’s struggled to hit the ball at the major league level. He’s a utility option at best at this point in his career.

The reality for the Yankees is that they cannot replace Gregorius for any length of time. Torreyes and Wade can provide some support here and there, but neither can replicate his impact for the club. A serious injury to Gregorius would likely torpedo the Yankees’ hopes of making a deep postseason run.