It'd be easy to start off by saying that Didi Gregorius has had a rough go of it trying to replace Derek Jeter as the Yankees' shortstop, but it's unfair to suggest that's actually what he's doing. No one could replace the legendary Jeter on or off the field. Gregorius' task is simply to prove that he's more than just a twice-traded 25-year-old who has yet to play a full season in the big leagues.
While it has indeed been a poor start with the bat (.215/.276/.241), offense isn't Gregorius' only job. With all due respect to the decorated and departed Jeter, shortstop defense had become a considerable problem for the Yankees in recent years.