The Milwaukee Brewers are rarely big players in the free agent market. With Avisail Garcia gone (he signed with the Miami Marlins), there is an obvious hole in the outfield. Christian Yelich and Lorenzo Cain will take two starting spots. However, the remaining spot currently belongs to either Tyrone Taylor or Jackie Bradley Jr. While Taylor has shown flashes of brilliance, JBJ has been a disappointment at the plate. One way that the Brewers could address the hole is via trade. If this were to come to pass, Joey Gallo of the New York Yankees would be an idea candidate.
Joey Gallo Fits the Brewers
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Over the past few years, David Stearns and Craig Counsell have shown favor towards players who can play multiple positions. In this case, Joey Gallo fits the Brewers perfectly. Not only is he a Gold Glove caliber right fielder (he has won two), he can also play the other two outfield spots and the corner infield positions.
Not only does Gallo fit the mold in terms of being able to play multiple positions, he will also come at the right price in terms of salary. Gallo is entering his third arbitration year. This means that the Brewers will not need to pay a fortune to him. He will be a free agent after the 2022 season, so he could be a short-term investment that could pay big dividends.
Joey Gallo at the Plate
Joey Gallo is known for his big power bat and his strikeout rate. This past season, he hit .199/.351/.458 with 38 home runs and 77 RBI with the Rangers and Yankees. It was the third highest home run total of his career. In 2017, Gallo hit 41 home runs, and in 2018 he hit 40. He also averaged over 200 strikeouts per season during that time.
That being said, Gallo also is known for drawing walks. While it is true he led the American League in strikeouts last season (213), he also led the league in walks (111). The batting average, admittedly, is not pretty. However, his .821 career OPS is something that the Brewers’ offense could really use.
What Would It Cost to Get Joey Gallo in a Trade?
As mentioned, Gallo is in his last year of arbitration. Without many years of club control, his price would not be as high as other trade candidates. However, he is also a two-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner. His cost will not be nearly as high as a player such as Matt Olson, but will cost the Brewers a good prospect or two.
Where Would He Play?
Joey Gallo, as mentioned, can play multiple positions. It would stand to reason that he would slide in as the Brewers starting right fielder. This would give them Gold Glove winners at all three outfield positions. Gallo would also see some time at first base, a position that the Brewers have not been able to stabilize since Prince Fielder left. Finally, he could see some time at DH, that is if the NL adopts it in the ongoing CBA discussions.
Joey Gallo may not be the most popular name on the market, but he is certainly a player that the Brewers could use. He is also just the kind of player that Stearns is known to target: a guy many have given up on but Stearns sees something there. If Stearns feels like this is a good move, fans owe it to him to trust his process. After all, that process has gotten Milwaukee to the playoffs four years in a row. He is doing something right.
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