TAMPA — Do the Yankees have three shortstops, two shortstops, one shortstop or none?
This is not a trick question. The answer is not, ta-da, Manny Machado.
Troy Tulowitzki, Didi Gregorius and Gleyber Torres give the Yankees either a three-headed solution or two injuries and a maybe. They could have talent and depth or a “told you so” chorus from fans who believed going under the luxury-tax threshold last year was undertaken to score someone such as Machado — particularly if the starting shortstop (Gregorius) needs Tommy John surgery and the third baseman (Miguel Andujar) was the majors’ worst defensively at his position in 2018.
But the Yankees were worried enough about another long-term deal and Machado’s makeup that they were in for a sweetheart deal only. The biggest consideration, though, was budget. Should Hal Steinbrenner have higher than a $220 million-ish Opening Day mandate? Perhaps. But that was what baseball operations had to refine a contender.
Signing Machado at a figure that would have taken him off the market in December would have limited the quality of options elsewhere. And the Yankees wanted to address the rotation and the bullpen in more than perfunctory ways.
Plus, the Yankees believed Gregorius would return in two or three months and Andujar had upside at third base.
And then scout JT Stotts saw Tulowitzki’s mid-December workout at a field near his Long Beach State alma mater. Stotts’ review to the home office was glowing. But so were those from many scouts in attendance that day. The Yankees, though, had an edge. Tulowitzki grew up obsessed with Derek Jeter. He dreamed of being a Yankee. Now, here was an opportunity. So he gave only one team a private workout.
The Yankees sent two of their most trusted evaluators, Jay Darnell and Dan Giese. Tulowitzki took seven rounds of batting practice, a long infield session and went through agility drills. He had missed all of last season following surgery to remove bone spurs from both heels. Over the previous few years, Tulowitzki had been beset by hip, quad and hamstring maladies. Darnell and Giese looked for fatigue or favoring of a leg. They saw explosiveness and grace.
Tulowitzki, 34, had been released from the Blue Jays with two years at $38 million left. So whichever team signed him would owe just the $550,000 minimum in 2019. The Yankees saw minimal risk and great potential upside. Tulowitzki wanted the marriage, but needed to know — health permitting — he was the shortstop until Gregorius returned. The Yankees made that pledge, knowing how much more could be done with the budget if they could secure Tulowitzki.
They also promised DJ LeMahieu he would be an everyday player, though perhaps not at one position, to induce him to sign a two-year, $24 million pact. As Aaron Boone told me: “Even with perfect health [from others], I expect [LeMahieu] to start 145 games. He’s going to play all the time.”
Once those vows were made, the Machado pipe dream pretty much vanished. So there were Gregorius and Tulowitzki carrying hope on a back diamond at Steinbrenner Field on Monday, 24 hours before the first official full-team workout.
Gregorius’ only serious throwing was playing catch from about 30 feet with infield coach Carlos Mendoza, who said, “Very encouraging. He was not favoring the arm at all.” There was snap in the offerings. Gregorius has done even more aggressive throwing at the minor league complex. Boone said Gregorius’ next big step is batting practice about the third week of March.
As for Tulowitzki, if you saw him, you would not have known he had heel, leg and hip concerns.
“He was really bouncing around,” Mendoza emphasized.
Tulowitzki, more than most, needs his legs in peak condition. He is among the most unique fielding shortstops ever. He is constantly moving, throwing from a single foot and disparate angles. On Monday, Tulowitzki was vintage — smooth and athletic going forward or into the hole, slinging pinpoint throws, pirouetting on one double-play turn.
“It is exciting to see where he is physically,” said Boone, who watched the session.
But it is a long way to Opening Day, longer still to — and through — October for a player with substantial odds against him staying healthy. The Yankees hope to preserve Tulowitzki by playing Torres a few times a week at short with LeMahieu, a defensive savant, at second. If all goes well, Gregorius will return about June 1, and Boone has a wealth of infield alternatives daily.
The downside is Tulowitzki crashes with another injury, Gregorius hits a setback and Torres cannot handle short full time. This is how three turns quickly to none. The Yankees insist Torres would be fine at short. But that is hardly a universal sentiment within the game.
“I see us as having three [shortstops],” Boone said.
The Yankees are upbeat that is true. If not, they could have Manny regrets.