The New York Yankees are gearing up for an interesting trade deadline in a few weeks, especially with their outfield going through liability issues. Aside from Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, both Aaron Hicks and Joey Gallo have been complete disappointments this season.
Hicks has been arguably the worst player on the team offensively. Gallo has followed close behind despite slight improvements this month.
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Gallo posted a .180 average with two homers and 11 hits over 61 at-bats to start the season in April. He struck out on nearly 50% of those at-bats but has brought that number down a bit this month. He’s still only hitting .171 since May 4, posting seven hits and three homers. Gallo is making solid contact and picking up a few walks along the way.
Nonetheless, he has still been an offensive liability, making him a potential trade piece for general manager Brian Cashman.
According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Yankees could be in the seller’s market:
The most intriguing name mentioned by an executive this week was Joey Gallo, who has struggled since being acquired by the Yankees last summer. Gallo slashed .167/.298/.383 with 18 home runs and 29 RBIs in his first 90 games with New York, including .182/.289/.343 with five home runs and seven RBIs in 33 games this season.
Gallo is currently on a one-year, $10.275 million deal, so a prospective team would essentially be renting him for the remainder of the season. However, a change of scenery could be good for Gallo, as wearing pinstripes isn’t for everybody.
The question is, what exactly is he worth?
According to Baseballtradevalues.com, Gallo has an 11.7 numerical value, giving him a net positive rating. It is important to note that Gallo does have two Gold Gloves in back to back years, including an All-Star appearance in 2021. For a team that loves home run hitters and good defensive outfielders, Gallo is an attractive player on the market. The Yankees might be looking for bullpen support in exchange.
Gallo ranks in the 98 percentile in barrel percentage, 91st percentile in hard-hit percentage, and 92nd percentile in walk rate. He has struck out an exorbitant amount at 37.8% this year, but he should gradually improve as the season wears on.
It should be interesting to see how Cashman addresses the outfield, especially with offensive problems arising. Luckily, injury issues haven’t been the primary catalyst behind trade rumors.