The Nationals announced that they declined their end of Joey Gallo’s $8MM mutual option for the 2025 season. Gallo will instead receive a $2.5MM buyout as he heads into free agency for the third consecutive winter. Last offseason, Gallo signed a one-year deal with Washington worth $5MM in guaranteed money, broken down as a $2.5MM salary and then at least $2.5MM via the buyout.
The rebuilding Nats have made a habit of signing veterans to short-term deals and then looking to flip them at the trade deadline, though multiple injuries and Gallo’s overall struggles scuttled any trade value. Gallo hit only .161/.277/.336 with 10 home runs over 260 plate appearances, translating to a 76 wRC+ and a below-replacement value of -0.2 fWAR.
Gallo’s 12.3% walk rate and 13.1% barrel rate were still solid in comparison to the rest of the league, if well below his career averages (14.6BB%, 19.6% barrel rate). His 39.2% strikeout rate was slightly higher than his career average, yet the third aspect of Gallo’s “three true outcomes” approach failed him greatly. Gallo’s .175 Isolated Power number was his lowest in any full season.
On the health front, Gallo missed about three weeks due to an AC sprain in his left shoulder, and then over two months due to a hamstring strain. It might be fair to chalk up Gallo’s shaky production to these injuries, though his overall performance has been very up-and-down over the last five seasons, evening out to almost a perfectly average 99 wRC+ in his last 1844 plate appearances.
This inconsistency has led to Gallo playing for five different teams in the last four years, going from the Rangers to the Yankees to the Dodgers in trades, and then to free agent deals with the Twins and Nationals. He might have to settle for a minor league contract in the wake of his rough 2024 campaign, though Gallo should still draw some attention based on his past track record. Gallo is a veteran of 10 MLB seasons but is still only just a few weeks away from his 31st birthday.
Gallo primarily served as the left-handed side of the Nationals’ first base platoon, with a few appearances in both corner outfield slots and at DH. It was no surprise that Washington would be passing on Gallo’s mutual option, as it is widely assume that the Nats will be looking for a big upgrade at first base this winter. This could manifest itself as a full-time regular, or perhaps another left-handed bat to split time with Juan Yepez.
Minor league deal Texas or Japan
That, or a fry cook at McDonald’s.
He has mad over 40 million dollars in his career. I think there’s a drastically better chance that your going to be a fry cook at McDonald’s next year.
Gallo seems more the type to own multiple McDonalds franchises.
@metsin4 Why do you think he’s “mad” about making over $40 million in his career? Do you think he’s feeling guilty about stealing that money from multiple teams??
Who said he was mad about making 40 million dollars?
He’d probably try to put the fries in the pouch and miss.
Say what you want about Gallo but he can afford to buy a McD’s or two. No need for him to make the fries unless he simply wants to learn all aspects of being an owner. I still though can’t understand how he got that last contract. He’s done.
How does he keep getting jobs?
was about to post the same thing.
People love a good home run.
Can hit some home runs and draws some walks, and plays decent defense at first base and in the outfield. But after this year, that might be it for Gallo.
And actually not a liability on the base paths.
“Circumventing the salary cap”…There is no “circumventing” the salary cap in MLB, since the cap is soft and can be surpassed by any team willing to pay the penalties.
And just so you know, the Dodgers didn’t actually invent the deferred salary. It’s been around for quite a long time before the Dodgers began using it to manage the salary cap.
Dodgers being in a huge market are able to take on a $68M deferral for multiple years.
But how many players would defer like that for a small market team?
– that is where the problem is and why it needs to be fixed because the deferrals will allow big market teams more chance to land those star players.
You’re writing a lot of words for someone who could cut to the chase and join a support group instead.
Better luck next year.
The Lerners in Washington were deferring before deferring was cool.
I see jealousy written all over your post…what would you do with 700 million? I’m guessing you would be in Vegas with your life savings of 50.00
“Jealousy written all over”…People are gonna *itch & complain whether teams do spend money or don’t spend money.
How many posts have we all seen here about “cheap” owners? Is it any wonder why smart teams do what they think best and ignore what the fans and general public says and thinks?
I don’t think the Dodgers are staying up late at night, worrying that some fans think they have an obvious economic advantage and spend too much money.
That’s crazy. Dodgers in 5
How do you let Slater steal your girl?
Only if he plows me next hehe.
He’s cheap power. When healthy and lucky he runs into a lot of dingers, at least enough that teams overlook the strikeouts.
You should probably get some help, or try a different line of work since you suck at trolling. I’ll be content to block you since craziness isn’t. as entertaining as it used to be.
not only jobs, but buyout clauses as well!!!
He can do everything well — except hit. ;o)
I like Gallo, but the fact that he got a 2.5 Mil buyout blows my mind. This s#*+ is out of control.
I’m sure Joey isn’t fond of you either…this is baseball…like it or not that’s how today’s baseball business is run.
And you think arguing with a simp is a total alpha move? Touch grass lil guy!
Ah, so that’s why Yankees closed door on Rizzo…
I can’t believe he’s set to make $8mil! Guy can’t hit his body weight and is a true two outcome hitter, strike out or homer. Send his ass packing!
Hasn’t had any sustained success since the first half of 2021. Only chance he has at Major League deal might only be with a team like the White Sox, Angels, or Marlins.
White Sox can take a flier on Gallo. The park is hitter friendly and maybe with the low pressure situation, he reverts to his 220/360/550 slash line like his time with the Rangers.
I could see this.
No. He is done. After the Mendoza Line, there is now the Gallo Line.
Is it true that Joey whiffed when he tried to pick up his side of the option?
Joey Gallo; the first and only player in baseball history to have a batting average below .180 but still have an OPS+ of 100 or greater in at least 300 plate appearances in a season.
I will say some positives about him… nice guy and a good leader. When he is hot he can walk, and send the ball flying out of that ball park. But way to often he can’t hit a beach ball from 5 feet.
I bet Zack Morris strikes out slot…with the women
He doesn’t get out of his mommy’s basement long enough to strike out with any woman.
I’m an analytic fan… but gallo is a perfect example of a glitch in the system where clearly there is an error, yet every team refuses to believe it is wrong and continue to pay the guy. He is, has been, and always will be a horrible baseball. His few decent season still hurt me and we give him a free pass because of a little pop. Just drives me crazy mad.
Gallo is indeed a horrible baseball. But as a human he is doing just fine
I’m not a perfect man, that’s for sure. One of my downfalls is that my brain thinks faster than my fingers type. Sometimes, my brain says I type complete words and I move on to the next sentence without hesitation. And on social sites like this, I don’t double check my grammar, spelling, etc, I’m the Joey Gallo of the comment section. Full of potential, plenty of pop, but the swing and miss can be crippling
He’s been the extreme version of the type of cheap slugger teams have been trying to find for years. He strikes out a ton, but has also drawn a lot of walks and hit a lot of dingers to make up for it until recently. Also, in his brief prime he showed he could play decent outfield defense. I think if he developed his approach differently by swinging for more contact, he might have been a legit star. He has had enough raw power to punish mistakes, but geared his swing to try and hit a dinger every time.
That’s his defined skillset – to punish inside pitches. It wasn’t that long ago in 2021 that he was 4+ bWAR player and he’s only 30 now. If he alters his swingpath for contact, then pitchers aren’t going to be afraid to challenge him and his walkrate will decrease. That makes his offensive ceiling an Alex Verdugo. As long as Gallo is healthy, teams are going to pay him for his 30+ HR potential.
Since he debuted in 2015, he’s only hit more than 30 home runs in 3 seasons. He strikes out in about 37-38% of his plate appearances over his career and walks in 14%. His on base % is is inflated by a couple good season but truly he doesn’t break league avg over his career and most seasons it’s quite awful. In fact, you could argue all of his #’s are inflated due to really 1 maybe 2 seasons. BUT! Your comment is exactly the prove I was pointing to. The glitch in the system where the basic metric and common sense say he’s an awful ball player, yet because of “advanced stats” people keep wasting rosters spots on him. He’s one of the few advanced analytics examples that are a big miss in baseball
Please do not sign with the Pirates!!! I have this strong feeling they will be interested in him and his power potential even though he’s been bad since leaving Texas.
Back to the Wine Business, Joey !!
Got to be old like me to get that. Nicely done.
………and in other unsurprising news around MLB…………………………………….
Jerry DiPoto will probably pick him up.
Can’t be that much worse than the last few guys they’ve stuck at DH since 2018!
He is a bonfire that GMs just throw money on.
In his prime he was Temu Aaron Judge.
The best surprise is no surprise. As a Nats fan, I would like to thank Mr. gallo for his contribution, but I can’t. I don’t really undeniably they took him on in the first place.
Sorry to be so negative about a guy try to do his best, but man.
My gawd, the typos. Should be “Mr. Gallo” and “I don’t understand….”
He’s the poster boy for how stat nerds have ruined the game. He’s atrocious!
Totally. And when you see him walking up from the on-deck circle, you are reminded how bad your team is, and how pathetic he will look chalking up another K.
Baseball fans declined their interest years ago
Was still worth positive WAR batting .160. Not much luck on the balls he did make contact with – I smell free agent bargain that pop’s 20 homers next year as a 1B/RF for a smaller market team.
I guess that shows what WAR is good for.
Joey has aged like a fine…gallon jug of Gallo
how does that dude still continue to get contracts, it is amazing
He and Chase Anderson are the kings of this, though he just gets minor league deals at least but still pops up to get bombed on your favorite team.
Joey needs a hitting coach like Harry “The Hat’Walker who will help him understand the strike zone and put the ball in play.Walker did wonders for guys like Bob Watson and Miguel Dilione.Definitely showing my old age.
Maybe a return to the Rangers where he seemed comfortable and actually hit.
He makes Rob Deer look like Tony Gwynn
Goodbye, Gallo. Never come back. Luckiest SOB in MLB. Why do people keep paying this guy?? He’s like a blind pig in the barnyard — once in a while, he finds a kernel of corn.