Former Texas Rangers All-Star Finds New Home as He Looks to Rebuild Career

There's a lot of positives on Joey Gallo's stats page, but two negative stands out: batting average and strikeouts. The former Rangers standout has signed a minor league deal with the Chicago White Sox, who will be full of opportunities for bounceback candidates in 2025.

Jami Leabow | Feb 14, 2025

Texas Rangers right fielder Joey Gallo (13) hits a three run home run in the fourth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Globe Life Field in 2021. / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

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Veteran first baseman/outfielder Joey Gallo is hoping he found a place to resurrect his career.

The Chicago White Sox announced Thursday night that they signed Gallo to a minor league deal and invited him to spring training as a non-roster invitee.

The Chicago White Sox have agreed to terms with OF/1B Joey Gallo on a minor-league contract which includes a non-roster invite to Spring Training.
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) February 14, 2025

Gallo, while never a hitter for average, had a strong first five seasons in the majors, despite injuries limiting him in two of those campaigns. Making the Texas Rangers’ roster for good in 2017, Gallo had back-to-back 40-home run seasons, then played only 70 games in 2019 and 57 in 2020. It should be noted that the COVID season was 60 games (2020), so Gallo did play nearly a full season that year.

In 2021, the Rangers sent him to the New York Yankees in a trade-deadline deal. And it was a strong rebound season for Gallo; he played in 153 games with 38 homers and 77 RBIs despite a .199 average.

In those first five seasons, he won two Gold Glove awards and made two American League All-Star teams.

The Yankees shipped Gallo to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the 2022 trade deadline, and since then, he spent single seasons with the Minnesota Twins and Washington Nationals.

In Washington in 2024, Gallo hit .161 in 76 games, hitting 10 home runs and driving in 27.

His career numbers: 208 home runs and 453 RBIs, a .194 average and 1,292 strikeouts in 939 games with the five teams.

The White Sox, coming off a major league record-worst 41-121 season, could use any power Gallo might have left in his bat.

Last season, the White Sox were last in the majors in several offensive categories: home runs (133), RBIs (485), average (.221), hits (1,187), triples (nine) and runs (507). Their run total was nearly 100 less than the Tampa Bay Rays, whose 604 runs were second-to-last.

The White Sox open the season under first-year manager Will Venable on March 27 against the visiting Los Angeles Angels. The Rangers are coming off a third-place finish in the American League West.

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