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NEW YORK – Joey Gallo believes he was the last person at Globe Life Field on July 29.
He probably stayed at the clubhouse until midnight, Gallo recalls. The Gold Glove-winning outfielder was traded hours before, less than 30 minutes before the Rangers took the field against the D-backs.
“It was touching for sure,” Gallo said on the pitch at Yankee Stadium on Monday. ” It’s always like that. I made sure I had all my things and cried a lot.
Gallo recalled that day as he was a little emotional in front of the first baseman before batting practice for the Yankees. He was actually taking BP when he found out it had been traded the day before the deadline. In truth, he wasn’t too worried despite the rumors circulating around him, assuming he would still be with the Rangers at 4 p.m. ET on July 30.
Details are getting a bit hazy for Gallo. But he recalls that a clubhouse attendant approached him in the cage, saying he was needed in Manager Chris Woodward’s office. He ignored him and kept punching, thinking they were just playing with him. Then assistant batting coach Callix Crabbe picked up Gallo, saying they were serious.
“That’s when it hit me, ‘This is it, I could actually be traded,” said Gallo. “I went to the office and [president of baseball operations Jon Daniels and general manager Chris Young] were sitting there. It was really quiet and I knew it, because it just wasn’t the same environment I’m used to. It was a 10 minute conversation, but there wasn’t much to say. I was a little shocked, surprised.
Woodward remembers Gallo’s emotions that night in his office, remembering that it was a difficult day for everyone involved. Gallo was the most notable local talent of the Jon Daniels era, selected in the first round of the 2012 MLB Draft and making his debut in 2015.
“He obviously wanted to stay and he expressed that opinion on several occasions,” said Woodward. “It’s the hard part of the game for all of us, especially for me, when you invest a lot of time and effort into helping a man get better. It was only an emotional day, for him knowing that it was probably the end. “
“It was my home for 10 years, I think about it a lot,” said Gallo. “I’m still getting used to living here, being with a new organization and so on. The Yankees made the transition as easy as possible for me. I really appreciate this. But like I said, I’ve spent my entire life in Texas since I was 18. It was not an easy thing for me.
Gallo didn’t even initially ask who he was traded to. He took the time to put his thoughts together before he even found out he would be heading to New York alongside Joely Rodríguez. It then hit him with the pressure that would come from playing in New York.
Gallo knows he hasn’t really got off to a good start with the Yankees. He’s only reduced by 0.166 / 0.310 / 0.444 in his first 46 games with New York. During his short stay in the Bronx, he learned to accept pressure and use it as a motivation to improve.
“I like to play here, but it’s a different market than Texas for sure,” said Gallo. “They want you to win, win, win. The pressures and expectations are high, but it’s exciting. … No one is excited to be booed, but that’s part of it. In Texas, you don’t get booed like that. But when we win games in New York it’s amazing and there is no better feeling. “
Despite the adjustment period, he’s happy to be in New York, helping the club fight for a Wild Card spot in this year’s playoffs.
“Right now I’m in New York and I’m very proud to be a New York Yankee,” said Gallo. “I am very proud of this and to win with this organization. I don’t have a grudge for [the Rangers]. I think they did what they had to do, and I’m part of a great team. I’m in a great position and play winning baseball so I can’t complain either.
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