The Chicago White Sox are taking a shot on one of the hottest names of 2017.
Chicago announced on Thursday that they have signed veteran slugger Joey Gallo in free agency. Gallo is getting a minor-league contract along with a non-roster invite to Spring Training, the team adds.
The 31-year-old Gallo was a two-time All-Star and a two-time Gold Glove winner for the Texas Rangers and even posted back-to-back 40-homer seasons in 2017 and 2018. Gallo also brings value because of his ability to play first base, third base, and all three outfield positions.
But Gallo’s success of old seems like ancient history at this point given his struggles in more recent years. Gallo was so bad for the New York Yankees from 2021-22 (hitting a miserable .159) that he admitted to not going out while in New York just so that he could avoid angry Yankees fans. It didn’t get much better for Gallo in subsequent stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, and Washington Nationals as he failed to even reach the .180 mark with any of those teams. Last season for Washington, Gallo batted .161 with a .613 OPS to go along with 10 home runs and 27 RBIs in 76 games.
At this point, Gallo is who he is — a peak three-true-outcomes guy who will either homer (208 in total over his MLB career), walk, or whiff (with multiple seasons of 200 or more strikeouts already under his belt). As a lefty hitter though with versatility at several positions, there still appears to be some intrigue there.
The White Sox do not have a lot to play for in 2025 after already losing a comical 121 games in 2024. Thus, they feel comfortable kicking the tires on Gallo as the latest forgotten ballplayer they have added to the mix this winter.
