Didi homers in second game back with Yanks

June 8th, 2019

CLEVELAND -- Sir Didi is back, and he brought his sword.

After rapping a couple of singles in his 2019 debut on Friday night at Progressive Field, Didi Gregorius went 2-for-4 and hit his first home run of the season on Saturday. It was a two-run shot to right that gave the Yankees an early lead that, alas, they would not maintain in an 8-4 loss to the Indians.

But Gregorius’ seamless return to duty has been a high point of an otherwise difficult week for the Yankees. He missed nearly 40 percent of the season following Tommy John surgery on his right (throwing) elbow, but you wouldn’t know it from how he’s performed so far.

“I’m just trying to attack the balls in the zone and stay through it,” Gregorius said. “That’s the only thing I’m trying to work on and try to stay consistent.”

In addition to the homer and single on Saturday, Gregorius also made a nice play on a Francisco Lindor grounder in the eighth.

“He looks great out there,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He looks really comfortable and made a really great play in the field as well. I never worry about Didi whether he’s scuffling or doing well. But it’s nice when you’ve been out with the injury to come right back and swing the bat well.”

Though he’s not yet ready to play long stretches of consecutive games, the fluid swing on Adam Plutko’s 76 mph curveball was a sign that he can reclaim the power stroke that netted 72 home runs over the previous three seasons.

Gregorius isn’t expected to start Sunday’s series finale, but he was trying to talk Boone into letting him.