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Joey Gallo Trade Rumors: Yankees, Padres Expected to Be Interested in Rangers Star
July 14, 2021
Texas Rangers slugger Joey Gallo will likely be a top trade target ahead of the July 30 deadline, and the New York Yankees could be a potential destination.
According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Yankees have "consistently had eyes for Gallo."
Opposing teams also expected the San Diego Padres to be interested in the right fielder, per Sherman. Padres general manager A.J. Preller was with the Rangers when they drafted Gallo in the first round in 2012.
Gallo is an obvious trade target as a high-achieving player on a struggling team.
The 27-year-old earned his second career All-Star selection this season while hitting 24 home runs with 52 RBI in 84 games. He makes up for his .239 batting average with a .402 on-base percentage that would be a career high for a full season.
With two seasons of 40 home runs and a Gold Glove award on his resume, Gallo would be a quality addition for a lot of teams. He also doesn't hit free agency until after the 2022 season.
It hasn't been enough to help the Rangers, who sit in last place in the AL West with a 35-55 record, but a trade could help restock the farm system for a rebuild.
The Yankees would love this type of addition to help an offense that has underachieved this season. The squad entered the All-Star break ranked 23rd in runs scored after finishing in the top five of the category in each of the last four years.
The left-handed Gallo would also add balance to a lineup led by right-handers Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Gary Sanchez and DJ LeMahieu.
San Diego could also use another power hitter in the lineup alongside Fernado Tatis Jr., who has 28 home runs. Manny Machado ranks second on the team with 15 homers.
The Padres are 53-40 going into the second half of the year, but they sit in third place in the NL West and six games out of first in arguably the toughest division in baseball.