Twins, Gallo agree on 1-year, $11M deal

By KSTP Sports

New York Yankees' Joey Gallo reacts after striking out during the fifth inning of the team's baseball game against the Kansas City Royals on Thursday, July 28, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

On the day the Minnesota Twins formally introduced their first major-league free agent signing of this offseason, the team has reportedly agreed to another deal.

KSTP Sports has confirmed that the Twins and outfielder Joey Gallo have agreed on a one-year contract worth $11 million. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported the deal first.

Joey Gallo will get $11 million in his deal with the Twins, sources tell ESPN. He's still just 29. With a solid season this year — remember, he put up 4.7 Wins Above Replacement in 2021 — he's still primed to do well next year. But no doubt: This is a make-or-break season.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 16, 2022

The 29-year-old is coming off of arguably his worst season, at least since he’d established himself as one of the premier power-hitters in the game.

He broke into the big leagues as a 21-year-old with Texas and went on to slug 136 home runs with the Rangers before he was traded to the Yankees before the 2021 trade deadline. However, he struggled with New York and was ultimately dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers at last year’s deadline.

The two-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove Award winner has played in 752 MLB games across his eight-year career, hitting .199/.325/.469 with 177 home runs, 386 RBI and a .794 OPS. He’s also struck out 1,048 times.

While Gallo struggled last year, he was worth 4.7 WAR in 2021, per Baseball Reference, and has been worth 14.7 WAR during his career.

His 2023 season figures to be a crucial one in his career, and the Twins are betting on a big rebound season rather than believing last year was a sign of where things are headed for Gallo.