Ex-Yankee Joey Gallo Will Have New Role With Twins This Season

The Twins are poised to try something new with Joey Gallo this season, testing the outfielder's defensive versatility.

Joey Gallo didn't work out with the Yankees.

He continued to struggle in a Dodgers uniform after he was dealt to Los Angeles at last year's deadline.

Now, after signing with the Twins in free agency, Gallo is expected to be used in a different way on defense. 

Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic noted earlier this month that Minnesota will likely use Gallo at first base in 2023:

"Expect to see lots of Joey Gallo at first base, especially if Alex Kirilloff struggles to get back on track following season-ending wrist surgeries in 2021 and 2022. Gallo is a two-time Gold Glove-winning corner outfielder, and that’s where the Twins would prefer to deploy him, but he also played some first base early in his career with the Rangers and is considered very good there as well."

Gallo played first base for one inning with the Dodgers last season, the first time he's made an appearance at the position since 2018 (he played 35 games there during his age-24 season with the Rangers). 

The year before that, Gallo appeared in 59 games at first base. That was before he transitioned into a full-time outfielder, primarily appearing at third base that season as well (72 games at the hot corner).

Defense wasn't the problem for Gallo when he was in New York. It was his inability to produce on offense. The so-called slugger slashed .159/.291/.368 with 25 home runs, 46 RBI and 194 strikeouts in 140 games with the Yankees. 

New York originally acquired Gallo in a six-player trade, sending multiple highly-touted prospects to Texas in 2021. One year later, they shipped the left-handed hitter to Los Angeles in exchange for right-handed pitcher Clayton Beeter. Beeter is ranked as New York's No. 9 prospect by MLB Pipeline, poised to make the jump from Double-A Somerset to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this year. 

Gallo's role in Minnesota could have an impact on the Yankees as well. The Twins have a surplus of big-league outfielders heading into spring training. With the Yankees still searching for a left fielder—unless they commit to using Aaron Hicks and Oswaldo Cabrera there to begin the season—these two clubs could be trade partners at some point this spring. Lefty Max Kepler is a name that's been floated in rumors over the last few months. 

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• Yankees’ Biggest Position Battles as Spring Training Nears
• Did Yankees Make Mistake Not Bringing Chad Green Back in Free Agency?

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