After placing outfielder Drew Stubbs on the 15-day disabled list, the Texas Rangers announced Monday that they called up young star Joey Gallo to the major league roster from Triple-A.
The 22-year-old outfielder/third baseman from Las Vegas played 24 games for the Round Rock Express this season while batting .265 and hitting eight home runs. This will be Gallo’s second stint with the Rangers. He has appeared in 36 games and hit six home runs while batting .204 in his major league career.
The Rangers called up Gallo on June 2 of last year, and he made an impact from the start. He went 3-for-4 at the plate in his first game and hit his first career major league homer in front of his home fans against the Chicago White Sox.
From June 2-17, Gallo batted .260 and hit five homers, including one off Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw at Dodger Stadium on June 17. Gallo’s production took a major hit over the next 11 games, as he recorded only six hits in 40 plate appearances.
The former Bishop Gorman High School product was called up again in September but continued to struggle. Gallo hit only one homer in 25 plate appearances while batting .143.
Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram noted Gallo would be available off the bench for the Rangers’ game on Monday at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas, against the Los Angeles Angels.
Gallo is capable of hitting any pitch he sees out of the park but struggled with his plate discipline during his time with the Rangers, striking out 57 times and drawing only 15 walks. But there’s no denying he brings much-needed power to the Texas lineup from the left side of the plate.
This could mean the Rangers will get their first glimpse of playing Gallo in the outfield. Texas is set at center field and left field with veteran Ian Desmond and 21-year-old Nomar Mazara, which means Gallo could move to right field.
Texas is 1.5 games out of first place in the American League West, but fans will get a look into the future with Gallo returning to the major league roster.
Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.
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