Yankees fail to make qualifying offer to Didi Gregorius
Didi Gregorius (AP)
NEW YORK (AP) — The Yankees failed to make a $17.8 million qualifying offer to Didi Gregorius and will not receive draft-pick compensation if the free-agent shortstop signs with another team.
Gregorius, who turns 30 in February, came back from Tommy John surgery in early June and hit .238 with 16 homers and 61 RBIs in 82 games.
If New York doesn't re-sign Gregorius, it could move Gleyber Torres from second to shortstop, make DJ LeMahieu the regular second baseman and allocate more payroll to starting pitching.
Tyler Lyons, who earned a spot on the Yankees' postseason roster as a left-handed reliever, refused an outright assignment to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and elected to become a free agent.
The 31-year-old was released by Pittsburgh in August and signed with New York. He struck out 12 and walked two in 8 2/3 innings during 11 appearances with the Yankees in September. He made one appearance each in the Division Series against Minnesota and the Championship Series vs. Houston, striking out four over 1 2/3 hitless innings.
New York reinstated third baseman Miguel Andújar, first baseman Greg Bird, right-handers Jonathan Holder and Jake Barrett and outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury from the 60-day injured list and assigned Barrett outright to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Ellsbury has not played since 2017 because of a variety of ailments. He is owed $21,142,857 next year in the final guaranteed season of a $153 million, seven-year contract, which includes a $5 million buyout of a $21 million option for 2021.