Inside The Pinstripes

Scott Boras: ‘A Lot of Teams’ Think Joey Gallo Can Rebound Outside of New York

With the trade deadline approaching, the Yankees slugger is struggling.

Gary Phillips

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With the best record in baseball and legitimate championship aspirations, the Yankees are well-positioned as buyers with the trade deadline nearing. However, there is one player they could try to sell before dealing comes to an end on August 2.

It’s no secret that Joey Gallo has struggled since New York acquired him prior to last year’s deadline. This season has been especially hard for the outfielder, who is hitting .164/.288/.342 with 11 homers, 23 RBI and a career-low 85 wRC+. Known as a three true outcomes hitter before coming over from the Rangers, Gallo’s all-or-nothing approach has lacked the relative balance that made him a valuable contributor in Texas. He owns a 38.1 K% and a 14.8 BB%.

There have been questions about Gallo’s fit in the New York market, and home crowd boos have followed him lately. Some believe a change of scenery could prove beneficial for the 28-year-old. Gallo’s agent, Scott Boras, said as much on the “The Show” podcast, telling the New York Post’s Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman, “I do know that there are a lot of teams that feel that Joey, in their market and their uniform, would be more of the normal than what he is in New York.”

Boras continued: “But right now, he’s on a winning team, he’s on a team that’s doing very well; he can be a major contributor to it.”

It’s hard to see the Yankees getting much in return for Gallo, whose defense and on-base skills still provide some value. But they could decide his roster spot is better off being occupied by someone else. Either way, the Yankees have been connected to several outfielders who could be traded before the deadline.

READ: Which Teams Could Trade For Joey Gallo?

Gallo, meanwhile, is an impending free agent. If his production is any indication, playing in the Bronx is not helping his stock. A midseason trade and new digs would, for him, ideally lead to improved results – and a better chance at a notable payday this offseason.

“The skill, the talent and everything is there,” Boras said. “The question is: What do we do to get the execution potential to a higher level, to a normal standard?”

It’s a good question, one Gallo and the Yankees have yet to answer in New York. Perhaps another team will try to in the coming weeks.

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Gary Phillips
GARY PHILLIPS

A graduate of Seton Hall, Gary Phillips has written and/or edited for The Athletic, The New York Times, Sporting News, USA Today Sports’ Jets Wire, Bleacher Report and Yankees Magazine, among others. He can be reached at garyhphillips@outlook.com.

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