Inside The Phillies

Gregorius Ready to Compete for Starting Job After Injury-Riddled 2021

Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Didi Gregorius knows he will need to come out swinging to earn his starting spot for the 2022 MLB Season.
Kade Kistner|
Gregorius Ready to Compete for Starting Job After Injury-Riddled 2021
Gregorius Ready to Compete for Starting Job After Injury-Riddled 2021

Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Didi Gregorius had a tough go of it during the 2021 MLB season. His .209/.270/.370 slashline over the course of 103 games last season was easily the worst mark of his career.

However, for the majority of the season, he was playing with an injured elbow, and at one point had side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine. It seemed pseudogout was the culprit, but according to the shortstop, it was actually bone spurs preventing him from playing at his full potential. NBC's Jim Salisbury inquired about the injury last season on Monday.

"I had to play like that because I told them I didn't want to miss any games," Gregorius said. "I wasn't my best. I couldn't swing. I couldn't extend. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't throw, so my throws were going all over the place. And swinging, if I can't extend it, I couldn't hit any pitch. The only pitches I was hitting were mostly pitches away. I even backed off the plate so I could kind of get extended. I was going through a lot last year, but that's behind my back. I'm ready to go now."

Whether Gregorius can readjust and regain his form will determine whether or not the Phillies ask top-prospect Bryson Stott to start the season at the major league level. It is clear that the team views Stott as part of their future plan, but his debut could come sooner than expected based on spring training performance. 

Additionally, Philadelphia has money to spend, and they could look to play in the upper levels of the infield market with both Carlos Correa and Trevor Story still available. 

Regardless, Gregorius' offensive production, especially his power in driving fastballs in the zone, has been trending downwards over the course of the last few seasons as Matt Gelb of The Athletic (subscription required) pointed out. 

With the Phillies in "win-now" mode, is a player like Gregorius, even if healthy, someone you can rely on to return to form at the plate and on the field? If the answer is "no," or even just a "maybe," it may be time for Philadelphia to look at the alternatives ahead of the impending season. 

More From SI's Inside The Phillies:

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  2. Report: Phillies Showing Continued Interest in Bryant
  3. Report: Phillies Interested in Matt Chapman
  4. How did Philadelphia end up with Citizens Bank Park?
  5. How the Phillie Phanatic Came to be America's Favorite Sports Mascot
  6. How Mike Trout Will Join the Phillies
  7. Predicting the Phillies 2022 Opening Day Roster
  8. Picking the Phillies' All-Time Single Season Lineup
  9. Two Former Philadelphia Phillies Among Those Who Testified in Tyler Skaggs Trial
  10. The Sad Story of the Phillies' First Black Ballplayer

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Kade Kistner
KADE KISTNER

Kade Kistner is the publisher and beat writer for Sports Illustrated's Inside the Phillies. An alumnus of Tulane University, Kade graduated in 2017 with a degree in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish. Upon graduation, Kade commissioned into the United States Navy and attended Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Fl. He served as a Naval Aviator and was stationed in Jacksonville, Fl.  During his time in school and the Navy, Kade began covering the MLB and NFL with USA Today, SB Nation, and Sports Illustrated.  Kade covered the New Orleans Saints, Texas Rangers, and numerous other teams within the Sports Illustrated network before launching Inside the Phillies, Inside the Astros, and Inside the Cubs. You can follow him on Twitter at @KadeKistner, or if you have any questions or comments he can be reached via email at kwkistner@gmail.com.

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