Yankees’ Didi Gregorius won’t want to escape this Derek Jeter comparison

Yankees starting pitcher CC Sabathia had special praise for shortstop Didi Gregorius after his spectacular showing in a 7-2 win over the Rangers at Yankee Stadium on Sunday.

NEW YORK — When Didi Gregorius broke into the majors with the Reds, he’d wear his cap just a bit askew. It would sit back on his head, the bill pointed skyward.

Scott Rolen, then the third baseman and a potential Hall of Famer, didn’t approve.

“He always came up to me and pushed it down and said, ‘This is how we do it in the big leagues,'” Gregorius said after a spectacular game offensively and defensively in the Yankees’ 7-2 win over the Rangers at Yankee Stadium on Sunday.

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Gregorius, at age 28 somewhat of an elder statesman on the Yankees, doesn’t do that to second baseman Gleyber Torres or third baseman Miguel Andujar — hot-shot rookies that sandwich the shortstop in the field.

Still, his presence and leadership — and his play — since arriving in New York with boat-sized shoes to fill in 2015 hasn’t just taken him out of Derek Jeter‘s shadow, starting pitcher CC Sabathia said.

It’s making the Yankees forget their post-Jeter worries entirely.

“If he wouldn’t have come in and did what he did the last three or four years,” Sabathia said, “we’d still be talking about Jeet and how we need leadership and all that stuff.

“But he’s erased it. You’ve got to give him credit for that.”

Has he told Gregorius that yet?

“No,” Sabathia said, laughing.

Perhaps because that’s clear.

On Sunday, Gregorius slugged his 21st homer, a two-run shot in the Yankees’ key five-run eruption in the fifth inning. He hammered it to right field. He’s become the first Yankees shortstop to record three straight 20-homer seasons.

And Gregorius was busy in the field with groundball machine Sabathia on the mound. His fifth-inning glovework may have been some of the best of his career.

With one out, lightning-fast Delino Deshilds Jr. hit a grounder in the hole to the left side. Gregorius ranged to his right and slid on his knees. Then in one motion, he backhanded it, transferred the ball to his right hand and let go a bullet to first base.

Gregorius beat Deshields, sprinting his hardest, by a step.

Gregorius also made several other smooth plays, including a scoop-and-throw on a slow roller ranging all the way beyond second base to end the seventh.

“Man, he is incredible,” Sabathia said. “That boy, I mean, that is one of the better plays I’ve ever seen at shortstop, especially with who was running. He did it all. He does it all. He’s awesome.”

Sabathia added, “What he’s done, to turn around this team and to rebuild, he’s been the No. 1 key.”

Gregorius was bashful when told of Sabathia’s comments.

“I appreciate that,” he said. “I’m just here to try to do my job as best as I can. Not every day is going to be my day but there’s still room for improvement. I really appreciate what he’s saying. I’m always out there fighting for the team, no matter what, offensively and defensively.”

It was a Jeter-like response. Except soon it might be, Jeter who?

Brendan Kuty may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.