New York Yankees: Didi Gregorius to Make Season-Debut on Friday

The New York Yankees will be starting a series with the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night, and their lineup will be getting a boost with a returning star.

On Friday night, shortstop Didi Gregorius will make his season debut for the New York Yankees. After injuring his shoulder in the World Baseball Classic, Gregorius has been out for nearly the entire first month of the season.

However, he has been performing well in rehab and will be making his debut on Friday night for the Yankees. In his rehab assignment, Gregorius was crushing the ball, as he totaled a .444 batting average in five games.

If not for the great second half of the season for Gary Sanchez, Gregorius might have been considered the best hitter on the Yankees heading into the season. In 2016, Gregorius totaled a .270 batting average, 20 home runs, and 70 RBIs. While the Yankees believed he could be their starting shortstop, the offensive production from Gregorius last season was outstanding.

In his second full season with the Yankees, Gregorius emerged as a hitter that Joe Girardi could use in the middle of the order. That was not something that the Yankees could have predicted when they traded for him.

So far without Gregorius this season, the Yankees have played extremely well. They currently sit in second place in the AL East behind the Orioles, and they will have a chance to hop them in the standings this weekend.

A lot of credit has to go to Ronald Torreyes for his job filling in for Gregorius. Torreyes is batting over .300 this season, and Girardi will likely try to find ways to continue to get him at-bats. Due to his ability to play multiple positions, Torreyes should be able to still find a good amount of playing time.

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It will certainly be great to see Gregorius make his season debut on Friday night. Hopefully, he brings the hot bat that he was swinging on his rehab assignment.