John Gibbons did not get to manage Troy Tulowitzki last year and yet the now-former Blue Jay skipper declared the Yankees took a great gamble for next season.

Dan O’Dowd was the GM for the first nine years of Tulowitzki’s career and also praised the Yankees’ decision to enlist a player at the minimum wage who can still be an impact performer because of a not just skill, but will.

“When Troy gets an edge to him because he has something to prove, his defined focus goes to another level. And he knows now he is fighting for his career,” said O’Dowd, now my colleague at MLB Network. “It is a good place for the Yankees to have him.”

The Yankees reached an agreement with Tulowitzki with the plan, if healthy, to play him at shortstop even if they end up signing Manny Machado (who would play third). Tulowitzki played in just 66 games in 2017 for the Blue Jays and not at all last season after undergoing surgery on both heels. Unable to trade him and not wanting to bring Tulowitzki to camp and perhaps cause a distraction while breaking in shortstop Lourdes Gurriel, Toronto released Tulowitzki despite still owing him $38 million over the next two seasons.

Because of that, the Yankees owe Tulowitzki only the $550,000 major league minimum for 2019. Their plan, if all goes well in spring, is for Tulowitzki to fill in until Didi Gregorius returns after Tommy John surgery, which the Yankees project widely between June 1 and Aug. 1. Tulowitzki had looked so good in a workout — athletic and lively in the Yankees’ estimation — about half the major league teams were looking to sign him for the low-risk, high-reward possibilities.

That Tulowitzki picked the Yankees without the assurance of 500-plus plate appearances exemplifies just how motivated he is to play for them. Tulowitzki wore No. 2 with the Rockies and Blue Jays as an homage to his idol, Derek Jeter, and — at 34 — decided if not now, when would he ever be a Yankee?

“He loved playing in New York,” O’Dowd said. “This was not a guy who was scared to come. He would tell you, ‘I’m going there and going off.’ He is not going to be afraid.”



To accentuate the point, O’Dowd noted Tulowitzki’s stats at Citi Field (.438 average/1.368 OPS in 14 games) and Yankee Stadium (.317/.841 in 17 games).

Both Gibbons and O’Dowd said they believe Tulowitzki is healthy now. Their concerns were if he could maintain his health and how quickly and to what level his offense would return. As far as defense, both said they thought it would still be special. Gibbons said Tulowitzki took infield during batting practice while the Blue Jays were in Oakland in the second half and “he looked great. I have no doubt about his defense if he is healthy.

“If he gets to it, you are freaking out. He will make the backhand play as well as anyone I’ve ever seen. His off-balanced throws will be on the money. I can’t say enough good things about him.”

As far as offense, O’Dowd said because Tulowitzki’s power is to right-center, Yankee Stadium plays to his strengths. Both O’Dowd and Gibbons mentioned that not having to be the main man on offense also would help Tulowitzki at this point in his career.

“He can be an incredibly valuable contributor even hitting eighth,” O’Dowd said. “Because his defense is elite. I’m not concerned about the layoff. There is no doubt he is healthy right now. It is about if that is sustainable. Once he works off the rust, he is a two- or three-WAR player and if it really clicks you could see a four-WAR season from him.”



Gibbons said the Blue Jays “don’t make the playoffs” in 2015 if they did not acquire Tulowitzki that July. The former manager lauded Tulowitzki’s ability “to run the infield. He will be good with two kids [Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres] next to him. I guess all bets are off if they bring in Manny.”

The Yanks’ intention was — if they made an offer to Machado — to limit both the length and perhaps annual dollars for what was expected for such a great player in his prime and see if Machado would follow his heart to the Bronx rather than the money somewhere else. The addition of Tulowitzki does not preclude the Yanks from still doing that, but it gives them a little more leverage not to be concerned if Machado says he wants the largest contract possible.

“It is as good a move as you can make,” Gibbons said of the Yankees’ signing of Tulowitzki. “You have almost nothing to lose and if he stays healthy, you have one of the best shortstops of all time.”