MLB Rumors: Yankees finally trade for Joey Gallo
By Josh Hill
The New York Yankees are attempting to be buyers at the trade deadline, pushing hard for Joey Gallo.
As the MLB Trade Deadline approaches, the New York Yankees are leaning toward being buyers in the market. While rumors have bounced all over the place as to what New York might do, it sounds like the Yankees aren’t ready to throw in the towel on this season quite yet.
In fact, New York is going against what Hal Steinbrenner said earlier this month and are actively pursuing big trades as the deadline approaches.
According to YES Network’s Jack Curry, the Yankees are pushing hard to acquire Joey Gallo, or an adjacent slugger.
“Hearing the Yankees are pushing hard to try and acquire Joey Gallo or a “Gallo-type” to bolster offense,” Curry reported on Wednesday. “A left-handed bat like Gallo would be a strong addition. Yanks are about $4M under luxury tax threshold. Gallo will make about $2.4M for rest of the season and is free agent after 2022 season.”
Not long after that report dropped, ESPN’s Jeff Passan dropped the bomb that the trade had indeed happened.
BREAKING: The New York Yankees are finalizing a deal to acquire outfielder Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers, sources tell ESPN. The deal is pending medical review.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 29, 2021
It’s unclear who the secondary slugger would have been as two potential Yankees targets in Nelson Cruz and Starling Marte were both traded elsewhere.
New York wasn’t the only team interested in making a deal for Gallo. The San Diego Padres are active buyers at the deadline, and had been linked to Gallo almost as closely as the Yanks have.
It doesn’t matter, though. Gallo is headed to New York and the Yankees have landed an All-Star slugger to its lineup as an attempt is made to gain ground either on the Red Sox in the East or in the AL Wild Card race.