Washington Nationals Former First Baseman Lands Deal With Chicago White Sox
The 2024 season was a tough one for the Washington Nationals when it came to finding production at first base.
One of the players who the team had some hopes for entering the season was veteran Joey Gallo, who signed as a free agent ahead of the campaign.
Unfortunately, he didn’t make much of an impact as he battled injuries, playing in only 76 games. Even when he was on the field he wasn’t playing at a particularly high level.
In 260 plate appearances, he recorded a ghastly .161/.277/.336 slash line. It was the lowest single-season number in all three statistics in his career. He still struck out at an exorbitant rate of 39.2%, but that was an improvement from the last two years.
His walk rate was also much lower than his career norm, as the 12.3% was the second lowest of his career; only his rookie season number of 12.2% was lower.
Given how much he struggled, it should come as no surprise that his market wasn’t overflowing with interest this winter.
However, with teams beginning spring training this week, he finally received an offer and will be in camp with the Chicago White Sox.
According to Daryl Van Schouwen, the White Sox agreed to a minor league deal with Gallo that includes a non-roster invite to spring training.
White Sox sign OF/1B Joey Gallo to minor-league deal which includes a non-roster invite to spring training.
— Daryl Van Schouwen (@CST_soxvan) February 14, 2025
Given the current state of their roster, as they are projected to be amongst the worst teams in baseball in 2025, the veteran could have a chance to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster if he performs well during Grapefruit League play.
His experience could be a useful addition to the team’s bench on what could be an incredibly young roster that will endure a lot of losing.
Gallo does offer some versatility, winning two Gold Glove Awards in his career and being capable of playing all three outfield positions in addition to first base.
While his strikeout numbers are incredibly high, he does offer some power. When he connects he hits the ball hard, recording 10 home runs and nine doubles last season despite his overall struggles.
