Once feared for his towering home runs, a former slugger now finds himself without a team—again. Once an All-Star, now an afterthought, his staggering strikeout rate and declining defense have left front offices uninterested. Even one of baseball’s worst teams decided he wasn’t worth the roster spot. If that’s not a red flag, what is?
What has happened to Joey Gallo? The guy smashing home runs for fun just years back is now without a club. And this decision actually doesn’t surprise many.
It was reported by Scott Merkins that Joey Gallo has been released by the Chicago White Sox. He also mentioned that this was an unconditional release between the White Sox and Gallo. He was with the White Sox on a minor-league deal but decided to try out the free agency. Now, he will be trying to find a club to play for with just days left for the season to begin.
But this release did not come as a surprise because of how he has been performing for the past three years. Since the 2022 season, Gallo’s batting average has dropped to a mere .166. He also had a very bad strike-out percentage – only 40% of his plate appearances.
[MLBTR] White Sox Release Joey Gallo
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Not only his bat, but his defense has also taken a hit. Gallo who is a Golden Glove winner in the right field is now a first base player. Not saying that playing at first base is useless but for an outfielder, it looks like a demotion. With the White Sox already having Andrew Vaughn at first, it did not make any sense for the White Sox to keep him.
But there are teams that can still use his expertise. The Padres, the Pirates, or the Marlins. But even they have a little squad depth. The most likely thing that can happen is Joey Gallo signing another minor league deal with no immediate MLB spot. He might not get into the MLB right away, but it will not be too difficult for him to find a club that wants him.
Gallo will find a team—but as what, exactly? A depth piece? A desperate gamble?
His power is still there, but so is the whiff rate, making him baseball’s ultimate boom-or-bust relic. If another club takes a chance, it won’t be with high expectations—because at this point, expecting consistency from Gallo is like expecting a contact hitter to lead the league in strikeouts.
Fans reacted to Joey Gallo’s release from the White Sox, and they couldn’t care less
Joey Gallo’s latest career twist barely moved the needle. The reaction? Indifference, sprinkled with sarcasm. A player who once terrorized pitchers now struggles to convince teams he’s worth a roster spot. When even a team as desperate as the White Sox says, “No thanks,” it speaks volumes.
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Back in 2021, it was reported that Gallo turned down a huge contract offer from the Texas Rangers. He was in good form and most likely, wanted to get a bigger contract. But things have not gone as planned. Fast-forward to 2025, and he is running around the league looking for a minor-league contract and just got released by the White Sox.
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Nostalgia hits hard sometimes. Fans are still thinking of peak Joey Gallo in 2019 and 2021. In these seasons, Joey Gallo hit 70 home runs and played most of the matches. It felt like he would be an MVP in the coming years. But that thought has aged like milk now.
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Yes, Joey Gallo is only 31 but how many chances will he get by other teams with a huge pool of talent coming through? For an All-Star to not be able to perform up to par is a huge falloff. But hoping and prying is also one of the things his fans can do.
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This fan has accepted the reality that many others are not able to comprehend. Joey Gallo as a player in the MLB might actually be over and all – thanks to himself. While the player job might be over, the job of an analyst still remains open, and maybe he can get a spot on that roaster.
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While one fan thinks that an analyst job suits Gallo the best, another thinks that some time in Japan can revive his career. We have seen many players go to Japan and come back as a different personality; but with the White Sox rejecting him, there is a huge question mark of any other team signing him.
Can you anticipate what awaits Joey Gallo’s career? Care to share?
The post MLB Fans Give Up on Washed-Up All-Star Amid White Sox Fallout appeared first on EssentiallySports.