Well, you don’t see this every day. Joey Gallo, a two-time All-Star and former Gold Glove-winning outfielder, is apparently switching careers—on the field.
Less than an hour after the Chicago White Sox cut ties with him, Gallo hopped on social media and dropped a bombshell: he’s taking his talents to the pitcher’s mound.
Joey Gallo’s Surprise Announcement
Gallo posted a highlight reel of his best defensive plays in the outfield. The video dates back to his Texas Rangers and New York Yankees days, followed by a particular message. He says, “It’s been fun outfield.”
But the real kicker? The final clip in the video wasn’t a diving catch or a home run robbery—it was Gallo throwing a bullpen session in a White Sox uniform. He followed that up with a reply confirming that he was serious about this. Joey Gallo, as a pitcher, is official.
Struggles at the Plate
Gallo, now 31, has had an up-and-down career at the plate. He was one of the premier power hitters in the American League from 2017 to 2021, smashing 151 home runs and drawing 341 walks.
But there was always a flip side—he also led the majors in strikeouts with 809 in that same span. His elite power and patience kept him valuable, but the batting average never quite followed (.208 during those peak years). And in recent seasons, the struggles at the plate have only intensified.
Last year, Gallo hit just .161 with a .613 OPS in 76 games for the Washington Nationals. That’s not great. His transition to first base with the Nationals and Minnesota Twins didn’t exactly revitalize his career, and a spring training stint with the White Sox didn’t do much to change his fortunes—he went just 2-for-20 in Cactus League play before getting cut loose.
Can Gallo Make It as a Pitcher?
Let’s not forget that Gallo is a freak athlete. At 6-foot-5 and 249 pounds, he’s got the kind of arm strength that could make a pitching experiment genuinely intriguing.
He’s never taken the mound in a major or minor league game before, but that doesn’t mean the tools aren’t there. He’s spent years gunning down baserunners from right field, and if he can harness that into even a serviceable fastball-slider mix, why not give it a shot?
Of course, there’s no guarantee a Major League Baseball team will take a chance on Gallo’s reinvention, but with over $44.7 million in career earnings, he’s got the luxury of time to figure it out. Who wouldn’t want to see one of the game’s most notorious boom-or-bust hitters try to flip the script as a pitcher?
