New York Yankees slugger Joey Gallo is one of many hitters across baseball who falls victim to defensive shifts on a regular basis. He is tired of dealing with it — so much so, in fact, that he thinks the league needs to step in.
Gallo said he would favor doing something about the defensive shift, if only to make things more fair for hitters.
“I get the defensive strategies,” Gallo told The Athletic’s Jayson Stark last summer. “I do. I’m 100 percent not against that. But I think at some point, you have to fix the game a little bit. I mean, I don’t understand how I’m supposed to hit a double or triple when I have six guys standing in the outfield.”
Most who favor the shift would simply tell Gallo and those like him to adjust, but that is much easier said than done. Gallo has done it before, to his credit, but seeing someone with 40 home run power bunting regularly isn’t really what anybody wants.
MLB has at least considered Gallo’s suggestion in the past. There is no indication the league is moving toward implementing it, but entertainment value is the most important thing. If MLB feels the shift detracts from it, changes are possible.
Photo: Aug 14, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Rangers left fielder Joey Gallo (13) in the dugout after hitting a home run in the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
