Phillies: Opening week a test for Girardi, Wheeler, Gregorius

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Didi Gregorius #18 of the Philadelphia Phillies (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

Phillies shortstop Didi Gregorius will face the Yankees after spending the last five seasons with the team

Gregorius’ eight major league seasons can be summed up as “home-field disadvantage.”

His home run and RBI numbers have been similar, but his averages have been noticeably worse. He hit 60 HR, 214 RBI, and .246/.301/.418 in 429 career home games, compared to 50 HR, 203 RBI, and .280/.325/.441 in 422 away games.

This trend is still visible when focusing on recent time and place.

Last season, Gregorius hit six HR, 24 RBI, and .196/.226/.345 in 37 home games, compared to 10 HR, 37 RBI, and .273/.317/.523 in 45 away games. The difference is night and day.

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It’s no surprise with his five seasons on the Yankees that he’s played 242 more games at Yankee Stadium than the next highest venue, Chase Field. Given the large number of games, it’s also expected that his averages there would be lower than other ballparks.

Gregorius’ .255 BA at the stadium ranks 17th out of 27 ballparks where he’s played at least seven games, while his .746 OPS ranks 16th. Knowing his career home and away split, it will be interesting to see what happens when Citizens Bank Park becomes his new home stadium, where he has one home run and RBI, a .269 BA and .768 OPS in only seven games.

Opening week will be a test for Gregorius to see if he can improve his home hitting in the first five games at Citizens Bank Park, before trying to improve on his averages at Yankee Stadium, where he’s played only once with the road team, going two-for-five (a .400 BA) with a home run and RBI.

The fact that its Marlins and Yankees on opening week makes it an interesting test for new additions Girardi, Wheeler, and Gregorius.

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