Joey Gallo’s time in the Bronx is set to expire by Tuesday’s trade deadline, and the Yankees are exploring trade options for the struggling outfielder. The Brewers, Padres and Rays are among the clubs that have expressed interest in the former All-Star, writes USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.
San Diego discussed a deal for Gallo during spring training and has been linked to the player market several times in the past, dating back to Gallo’s time with the Rangers. The Rays and Brewers also had interest in Gallo at the deadline last year and appear to be revisiting a deal 12 months later.
Of course, a lot has happened to Gallo’s trade value this past year, none of it good. After posting just a .707 OPS in 228 plate appearances as a Yankee in 2021, Gallo’s slump only deepened this season. Gallo has hit just .159/.282/.339 with 12 homers over 273 PA, with a wRC+ of 81 (league average is 100) and strikeout and hit rates that rank near the bottom of the league.
On the other hand, Gallo still posts outstanding numbers on hard contact, and his 14.7% walk rate is one of the best among all players in baseball. A .217 BABIP only compounds the frustration, yet Gallo makes contact so infrequently that his at-bats can’t simply be chalked up to bad batted-ball luck. That lack of streak production is “something I’m really going to have to live with for the rest of my life,” Gallo told The Athletic’s Lindsay Adler earlier this week. “It will be difficult. I didn’t play well, I didn’t live up to expectations. And that’s a tough pill to swallow.
The Yankees’ acquisition of Andrew Benintendi all but confirmed that Gallo will be signed, though what New York can expect in return is an open question. The 28-year-old outfielder is a free agent after the season and is owed roughly $3.4 million for the remainder of the year, making it entirely possible the Yankees will have to eat most or all of that money unless another unwanted contract is traded in return. While interested teams certainly view Gallo as a trade-change candidate, the Yankees don’t have much leverage in trying to market him as such since it’s so widely known the club wants to part ways with the outfielder.
In the case of Tampa Bay, the Yankees are certainly wary of the idea of Gallo reviving against an AL East rival, and it’s fair to wonder if New York would want more to move Gallo within the division. The Rays may have a more glaring need for help on the field with Manuel Margot, Harold Ramirez and Kevin Kiermaier out with injuries, with Kiermaier out for the season after hip surgery.
However, the Rays already made an upgrade to the left-handed hitting fielder yesterday, bringing in David Peralta in a trade with the Diamondbacks. It’s possible the move will take the Rays out of the market for Gallo, though the club is still looking for more outfield depth, as Nightengale also reports that Tampa is interested in former Ray and current Red Tommy Pham.
Christian Yelich, Andrew McCutcheon, Hunter Renfrow and Tyron Taylor made up Milwaukee’s outfield mix for much of the season, with McCutcheon also getting the bulk of the DH time. Yelich is the only lefty of the quartet, and Gallo could become a platoon partner with Taylor in center field. 2019 was the only season in which Gallo played a significant amount in center field, but he performed quite well in defensive middle, even if right field was his ideal position — Gallo has won the last two American League Gold Gloves in right field .
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