Gallo Focused On Rangers Amid Trade Rumors

Rangers slugger Joey Gallo has been at the center of trade rumors for several months, but his focus remains on building a winner in Texas.

Chris Halicke | May 30, 2021

Gallo Focused On Rangers Amid Trade Rumors /

By this point, Joey Gallo is more than used to trade rumors. And as the Texas Rangers continue to fall further and further back in the standings, those rumors will likely heat up once again.

Regardless of where the Rangers are in the standings, Gallo is sure to be a topic of trade conversations. Gallo's name was thrown around during last year's trade deadline, with Rangers president of baseball operations Jon Daniels ultimately deciding to hold onto the 27-year-old slugger.

“I’m pretty used to it by now,” Gallo told the media on Saturday. “Last year, I got a pretty good taste of what it’s like. I understand it’s a business. Obviously, I'd love to be here. But rumors are already circulating. I get texts every other day about where I’m supposed to be getting traded."

Gallo is eligible for just one more year of arbitration in 2022. After that, the Rangers' control over him will expire and Gallo will become a free agent.

For a team that's rebuilding, the Rangers have to consider all of the options regarding Gallo. After all, if the Rangers don't see their contending window opening until 2023 or later, that means the Rangers either need to extend Gallo or seriously entertain trade offers to recoup value.

On one hand, Gallo is a player who is very capable of winning an MVP. He can match power with any hitter in baseball, has incredible patience at the plate, and won a Gold Glove for his defense in right field in 2020.

On the other hand, Gallo's inconsistency in production and excessive swing-and-miss could be the reason why clubs haven't been blowing up the phones of Jon Daniels or new GM Chris Young or blown them away with any offers. It could also be the reason the Rangers have yet to approach Scott Boras, Gallo's agent, about an extension.

Gallo confirmed the lack of any extension talks on Saturday, saying, "I haven't heard anything yet."

Jon Daniels or Rangers management has yet to publicly indicate which way the Rangers are leaning. From the evidence at hand, it looks like the Rangers will be at least entertaining offers. Scott Boras is known to take his clients to free agency and test their market, unless the controlling team blows them away with a contract extension (see Elvis Andrus).

It is still unknown exactly how available Gallo will be in trade offers. Chris Young played down trade rumors earlier this season. But the Rangers would at least be doing their due diligence by listening to what suitors have to offer.

In the meantime, Gallo is focused on making the Rangers better.

“I’m worried about how we’re going to build a winner here in Texas because it’s the only organization I’ve been with," Gallo said. "This is my home. I want to be part of the solution. I think we’re really close to being a playoff caliber team and one day winning a World Series. I try not to think about it. It gets brought up a lot. But I’m a Texas Ranger until I’m told I’m not.”

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Published May 30, 2021

CHRIS HALICKE