It’s March 16, 2025, and the baseball world is buzzing about a curveball nobody saw coming Joey Gallo, the hulking slugger known for crushing home runs, is hanging up his outfielder’s glove to chase a new dream: pitching. Yep, you read that right. The guy who’s smashed 208 dingers over a decade in the big leagues is flipping the script, and fans are equal parts stunned and stoked. After a rough spring with the Chicago White Sox and a release from his minor-league deal, Gallo took to X to drop the bombshell: “It’s been fun outfield. ” followed by, “Just to be clear, I will be pitching.” So, what’s behind this wild pivot? Let’s dig into the story of Joey Gallo’s big switch.
The End of a Slugger’s Run
Joey Gallo’s never been your average ballplayer. At 6-foot-5 with a swing built for moonshots, he’s been a power-hitting force since breaking in with the Texas Rangers in 2015. Two All-Star nods, two Gold Gloves, and a pair of 40-homer seasons he’s got the résumé. But the flip side? A career .194 batting average and a strikeout rate that’d make a windmill blush. The man’s lived by the “three true outcomes” homer, walk, or whiff and for a while, that worked. He mashed 110 homers from 2017 to 2019 with Texas, looking like a cornerstone for years to come.
Then the wheels started wobbling. Traded to the New York Yankees in 2021, Gallo’s bat went ice-cold (.160 in 140 games), and the Bronx faithful weren’t shy about letting him know. Bounced to the Dodgers, Twins, and Nationals after that, he couldn’t recapture the magic. In 2024, he hit .161 with 10 homers for Washington, striking out 102 times in 76 games. This spring, he signed a minor-league deal with the White Sox, hoping for a fresh start. Nine games later, he’s batting .100, and Chicago cuts him loose. Most guys might call it a career. Gallo? He’s calling an audible.
A Pitcher in the Making?
Here’s where it gets wild Gallo’s not new to the mound. Back at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, he was a two-way stud. As a senior in 2012, he threw a no-hitter, posted a 1.85 ERA, and racked up 17 strikeouts in 11-plus innings, earning Nevada’s Gatorade Player of the Year honors. Scouts clocked his fastball at 94 mph, and his changeup had nasty fade. Perfect Game’s scouting report from back then gushed about his arm. But with a bat that launched balls into orbit, he went the hitter route, picked 39th overall by the Rangers in the ’12 draft.
That arm never went away, though. In the outfield, Gallo’s cannon was legendary MLB’s Statcast had him in the 90th percentile for arm strength as recently as 2022. White Sox assistant GM Josh Barfield hinted at the switch after Gallo’s release, saying, “He’d expressed interest through his agent… he was going to explore the pitching side.” Seems Gallo’s been tossing pitches on the side, maybe dreaming of this moment when the hits stopped coming. At 31, he’s betting on that old high-school heat to keep him in the game.
Why Now? The Numbers Tell a Tale
Let’s be real Gallo’s hitting stats have been a rollercoaster, and lately, it’s been all downhill. Since that .253 peak with the Rangers in 2019, he hasn’t cracked .200 in a full season. The power’s still there (208 homers, 106 OPS+ career), but the strikeouts 1,257 in 10 years are a killer. Spring training with the Sox was the last straw: 2-for-20 with a pile of K’s. The writing was on the wall—he wasn’t making the big club as a hitter.
Pitching, though? That’s a fresh slate. Guys like Brett Phillips and Tyler Naquin have tried this switch lately, and Gallo’s not far behind. His arm’s a proven weapon, and if he can dust off that high-school stuff maybe mix in a slider or curve he’s got a shot. The White Sox didn’t bite, but as a free agent now, he’s got the whole league to pitch to (pun intended). Teams love a reclamation project, and a 6-foot-5 lefty with a live arm? That’s catnip for a scout.
Fans and the Future
The reaction’s been a mix of “What the heck?” and “Go for it, Joey!” On X, fans are losing it. “Joey Gallo pitching in MLB in 2 years will be cinema,” one wrote. Another chimed in, “First Naquin, now Gallo outfielders turning pitchers is the new meta.” Some see it as a desperate grab to stay relevant; others think it’s gutsy as hell. Imagine Gallo, all 240 pounds of him, glaring down batters instead of being the one sweating in the box. It’s a movie script waiting to happen.
What’s next? He’ll need to sign somewhere maybe a minor-league deal with a team willing to let him throw. Spring training’s winding down, but summer leagues or indie ball could be a proving ground. If that 94 mph fastball still lives, and he can find some control (a big if after a decade off the mound), he might just pull this off. Worst case, he’s got a hell of a story. Best case? We’re watching him toe the rubber in 2026, smirking as he paints the corners.
The Gallo Gamble
Joey Gallo’s always been a guy who swings big literally and figuratively. This move’s no different. From slugger to pitcher, it’s a leap that could crash and burn or light up the league. He’s got the arm, the frame, and the guts to try. Will he turn those high-school flashes into MLB outs? No clue. But one thing’s for sure: we’re all gonna be watching. Gallo’s not done surprising us yet, and this next chapter might just be his wildest swing of all.
The End of a Slugger’s Run
Joey Gallo’s never been your average ballplayer. At 6-foot-5 with a swing built for moonshots, he’s been a power-hitting force since breaking in with the Texas Rangers in 2015. Two All-Star nods, two Gold Gloves, and a pair of 40-homer seasons he’s got the résumé. But the flip side? A career .194 batting average and a strikeout rate that’d make a windmill blush. The man’s lived by the “three true outcomes” homer, walk, or whiff and for a while, that worked. He mashed 110 homers from 2017 to 2019 with Texas, looking like a cornerstone for years to come.
Then the wheels started wobbling. Traded to the New York Yankees in 2021, Gallo’s bat went ice-cold (.160 in 140 games), and the Bronx faithful weren’t shy about letting him know. Bounced to the Dodgers, Twins, and Nationals after that, he couldn’t recapture the magic. In 2024, he hit .161 with 10 homers for Washington, striking out 102 times in 76 games. This spring, he signed a minor-league deal with the White Sox, hoping for a fresh start. Nine games later, he’s batting .100, and Chicago cuts him loose. Most guys might call it a career. Gallo? He’s calling an audible.
A Pitcher in the Making?
Here’s where it gets wild Gallo’s not new to the mound. Back at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, he was a two-way stud. As a senior in 2012, he threw a no-hitter, posted a 1.85 ERA, and racked up 17 strikeouts in 11-plus innings, earning Nevada’s Gatorade Player of the Year honors. Scouts clocked his fastball at 94 mph, and his changeup had nasty fade. Perfect Game’s scouting report from back then gushed about his arm. But with a bat that launched balls into orbit, he went the hitter route, picked 39th overall by the Rangers in the ’12 draft.
That arm never went away, though. In the outfield, Gallo’s cannon was legendary MLB’s Statcast had him in the 90th percentile for arm strength as recently as 2022. White Sox assistant GM Josh Barfield hinted at the switch after Gallo’s release, saying, “He’d expressed interest through his agent… he was going to explore the pitching side.” Seems Gallo’s been tossing pitches on the side, maybe dreaming of this moment when the hits stopped coming. At 31, he’s betting on that old high-school heat to keep him in the game.
Why Now? The Numbers Tell a Tale
Let’s be real Gallo’s hitting stats have been a rollercoaster, and lately, it’s been all downhill. Since that .253 peak with the Rangers in 2019, he hasn’t cracked .200 in a full season. The power’s still there (208 homers, 106 OPS+ career), but the strikeouts 1,257 in 10 years are a killer. Spring training with the Sox was the last straw: 2-for-20 with a pile of K’s. The writing was on the wall—he wasn’t making the big club as a hitter.
Pitching, though? That’s a fresh slate. Guys like Brett Phillips and Tyler Naquin have tried this switch lately, and Gallo’s not far behind. His arm’s a proven weapon, and if he can dust off that high-school stuff maybe mix in a slider or curve he’s got a shot. The White Sox didn’t bite, but as a free agent now, he’s got the whole league to pitch to (pun intended). Teams love a reclamation project, and a 6-foot-5 lefty with a live arm? That’s catnip for a scout.
Fans and the Future
The reaction’s been a mix of “What the heck?” and “Go for it, Joey!” On X, fans are losing it. “Joey Gallo pitching in MLB in 2 years will be cinema,” one wrote. Another chimed in, “First Naquin, now Gallo outfielders turning pitchers is the new meta.” Some see it as a desperate grab to stay relevant; others think it’s gutsy as hell. Imagine Gallo, all 240 pounds of him, glaring down batters instead of being the one sweating in the box. It’s a movie script waiting to happen.
What’s next? He’ll need to sign somewhere maybe a minor-league deal with a team willing to let him throw. Spring training’s winding down, but summer leagues or indie ball could be a proving ground. If that 94 mph fastball still lives, and he can find some control (a big if after a decade off the mound), he might just pull this off. Worst case, he’s got a hell of a story. Best case? We’re watching him toe the rubber in 2026, smirking as he paints the corners.
The Gallo Gamble
Joey Gallo’s always been a guy who swings big literally and figuratively. This move’s no different. From slugger to pitcher, it’s a leap that could crash and burn or light up the league. He’s got the arm, the frame, and the guts to try. Will he turn those high-school flashes into MLB outs? No clue. But one thing’s for sure: we’re all gonna be watching. Gallo’s not done surprising us yet, and this next chapter might just be his wildest swing of all.
