The New York Yankees were hyperactive at the 2021 trade deadline, making multiple moves to bring in some key players such as Anthony Rizzo, Andrew Heaney, and, of course, Joey Gallo.
Well, there's a real chance that not a single one of those three will be in New York in 2022.
According to Metsmerized's Michael Mayer, the Yankees have reportedly been fielding calls on Gallo, who could be moved in a trade with just one year until he becomes a free agent.
Mayer indicated that Gallo could be returning to the AL West, as there's at least one team from the division involved in the discussions. It's unclear how advanced any talks are, if at all, but it's certainly notable that the Yankees are considering moving on from the slugger.
Gallo, who was acquired by the Yankees in a blockbuster trade with the Texas Rangers in late July, struggled after making the move to the AL East. Across 58 games in pinstripes, Gallo slashed .160/.303/.404 with 13 home runs and 22 RBI. He struck out 88 times in 228 plate appearances, resulting in his league-leading 215 punchouts on the season.
While the power was still there for Gallo, his inability to get on base made him a liability for the Yankees, outside of a few key swings. There were lofty expectations for the 28-year-old upon his acquisition by New York, but he ultimately failed to live up to them.
Gallo is due to enter his final year of arbitration in 2022, and Spotrac estimates the slugger will earn around $9.5 million this season. The Yankees could move to get him off the books and receive some kind of haul for the Las Vegas native, lest they risk losing him for nothing at the end of the year