New Twin Joey Gallo looking forward to fresh start in Minnesota

The first time Joey Gallo came to Target Field, he smashed the windshield of a promotional Chevrolet sitting on the concourse in right field during batting practice. Later that day, Gallo, then a 20-year-old highly-touted prospect for the Texas Rangers, ran into a fastball during the 2014 Futures Game and drove it a long way. By the time his day was done, Gallo had been named the game’s MVP.

The 29-year-old left-handed outfielder has had plenty of success in his return trips to Target Field, too, posting a .954 OPS with six home runs in his 15 games in the ballpark he will now call home. Gallo’s one-year, $11 million deal with the Twins, which was reported last week, became official on Tuesday afternoon.

“I always loved playing here. I’ve got pretty good memories here, starting with the Futures Game. I mean, just a great organization I’ve admired from afar, from other teams,” Gallo said. “I know a lot of guys here, great hitting coach (David Popkins), great chance to win. I love the fan base. It’s always a place I enjoyed playing. And it seemed like they wanted me here, and that’s all you can ask for, to go to a place that wants you.”

And the Twins do.

The Twins had trade conversations in the past about Gallo dating back to when he was in Texas. And when this offseason rolled around, Gallo, Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said, was a player whom they targeted from the beginning.

“As we look at it right now, we think he fits our team really well,” Falvey said. “(He’s) a guy who can go play anywhere in the outfield and by all accounts has tremendous skills at first base as well. This is a guy who is going to be a big part of this team this year. A big bat for us.”

A big bat, they hope.

Gallo said he isn’t looking at his one-year contract as a “prove it” deal but more as a “betting on myself”-type deal. And the Twins are betting on him, too, as Gallo attempts to course correct after a disappointing 2021 season.

The two-time all-star, who posted a 4.2 bWAR (Wins Above Replacement per Baseball Reference) in 2021 while slugging 38 home runs and winning a Gold Glove in right field with the Rangers, is looking to bounce back after the most difficult season of his career. Gallo hit .160 and posted a 79 OPS+, 21 percent worse than league average, during a difficult 2022 season that was split between the Yankees and Dodgers. Gallo, a slugger who typically hits for a low average and racks up strikeouts, struck out in almost 40 percent of his plate appearances last season.

“Mentally (it) was honestly tough for me last year. It’s good to have an offseason to reset,” Gallo said. “Obviously working on different things with my swing mechanically that I can clean up. I kind of got into some bad habits last year that are tough to get out of midseason.”

While he said he hasn’t talked to Popkins yet about what the Twins believe he can improve upon, the two will dive into that shortly and the Las Vegas-native said he would likely start working with Popkins soon in California as the two hone in on ways to clean up his mechanics.

Having some extra time for him to work with Popkins was why Falvey said the Twins wanted to come to an agreement with Gallo as soon as possible.

“As we were sorting through some of the options on the board, we think he offered as much upside maybe as anybody we were looking at the time because we think there’s a real chance to tap into what we saw from him only two seasons ago,” Falvey said.

They also view him as someone who can play all three outfield positions — he could potentially spell Byron Buxton in center field when he has a day off — as well as first base. At first, Falvey said, they believe him to be “near Gold Glove-caliber.”

While the Twins designated one left-handed outfielder — Mark Contreras — for assignment to make room for Gallo on the 40-man roster, Gallo’s addition would seem to be a precursor for subsequent moves.

With Gallo joining a group that already included Max Kepler, Trevor Larnach, Alex Kirilloff, Nick Gordon and Matt Wallner, the Twins could opt to deal from their stash of left-handed corner outfielders to improve the roster elsewhere. With the top free agents now off the board, the trade market is expected to pick up in the coming weeks, and Kepler, with one guaranteed year remaining on his deal, is a name that has been included in trade rumors.

“I don’t think our roster can be set today. I think there’s opportunities we’ll have to work through over the next couple of months,” Falvey said. “But as it sits today, as we think about what Max provides, what Joey provides, Trevor Larnach, Matt Wallner, I think there’s an opportunity to still have a lot of left-handed hitters on this team. I think they could all play at the same time.”

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