As Didi Gregorius hit the open market, the Phillies were instantly mentioned among the teams interested in adding the veteran shortstop.

Now, Philadelphia has allowed two of their infielder mainstays to become free agents, and their manager - former Yankees skipper Joe Girardi - has gone on the record about how much he likes Gregorius as a player.

"He's a real character guy and he's a real hard worker who is a really important clubhouse presence," Girardi told reporters in Philadelphia on Tuesday. "I felt that he was important to the clubhouse in New York and what he brought every day."

"I've always been a big fan of Didi and what he's been able to accomplish."

Girardi managed Gregorius for three seasons, from 2015-17, after the Yankees acquired the Netherlands native to fill the shoes of Derek Jeter following his retirement.

During those three seasons under Girardi's leadership, Gregorius hit .276 with 54 home runs and 213 runs driven in. He had an OPS of .796 in 2017, a year in which he earned a handful of MVP votes.

"He's a treat to be around," Girardi said. "He brings a smile every day he comes out and works extremely hard. He's a very talented player. I think there's 30 teams that would love Didi's services."

What seemingly makes Philadelphia as even a more logical destination for the 29-year-old is the fact that the Phillies on Monday allowed Cesar Hernandez and Maikel Franco to become free agents.

Hernandez has been the Phillies everyday second baseman since 2015, while Franco has been the team's starting third basemen since 2016, though he did fall out of favor with the team and lost playing time in 2019.

The Phillies still have Jean Segura under contract, and while Segura was the team's starting shortstop last season, he could potentially move to second base, or could even be traded if the Phillies do indeed add Gregorius.

For what it's worth, SNY's Anthony McCarron has predicted that Gregorius will land in Philly on a two-year deal.

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