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Report: Gregorius could take 1-year deal; Brewers showing interest

Duane Burleson / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Didi Gregorius could be ready to bet on himself.

Gregorius - by far the biggest name amid a thin crop of free-agent shortstops this winter - is considering signing a one-year contract in order to rebuild his value for next year, sources told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

The 29-year-old accrued 8.8 WAR across the 2017 and '18 seasons with the New York Yankees, which led to him receiving some down-ballot MVP votes.

But Gregorius hit free agency at a bad time. He's coming off a subpar campaign with New York that was partly due to his recovery from Tommy John surgery following the 2018 season. Rehab delayed his 2019 debut until June, and he went on to slash just .238/.276/.441 (87 OPS+) with 16 homers in 82 games.

Gregorius would be taking a significant risk if he opts for a one-year deal. Even if he puts together a strong 2020 campaign, he'd likely face more competition at his position as a free agent next winter when fellow star shortstops Andrelton Simmons and Marcus Semien are scheduled to hit the open market.

However, a rebound season at his typical production level could lead to a solid payday next offseason, even if Gregorius is saddled with draft-pick compensation after receiving a potential qualifying offer.

In the meantime, Gregorius continues to draw interest from both the Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds, according to Rosenthal.

He has connections to both organizations. In Philadelphia, he'd be reunited with former Yankees skipper Joe Girardi, who was hired as the Phillies' new manager last month. Cincinnati was Gregorius' original organization, and he played under Reds manager David Bell in their minor-league system.

The Milwaukee Brewers are also involved in the Gregorius sweepstakes, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported Monday.

While Milwaukee has shortstops Orlando Arcia and Luis Urias on its roster, the team has already lost multiple key players in free agency this offseason, including infielder Mike Moustakas.

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