The New York Yankees have reached a deal to get All-Star slugger Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers, a person familiar with the trade told The Associated Press.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday night because the deal has not yet been announced and was subject to approval of medical records of the players involved.
Gallo, 27, would give the heavily right-handed Yankees a much-needed power lefty bat. With switch-hitting center fielder Aaron Hicks hurt, second baseman Rougned Odor and outfielder Brett Gardner have been the only left-handed hitters to see substantial playing time.
Gallo is hitting .223 with 25 homers, 55 RBIs and a major league-leading 74 walks. While he has played right field for Texas, he presumably would play left for the Yankees, who have Aaron Judge as their regular right fielder.
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Judge was scratched from the starting lineup Wednesday night, a day after returning from the COVID-19 injured list, but pinch hit in the fifth inning.
Gallo is owed $2.2 million from his $6.2 million salary. He is eligible for arbitration next winter and can became a free agent after the 2022 season.
The two-time All-Star is a career .211 hitter in seven seasons, but launches a lot of longballs. He hit 41 home runs in 2017 and 40 in 2018.
The Yankees began the day nine games behind Boston in the AL East and trailing Tampa Bay, Oakland and Seattle in the wild-card race for two spots.
The Dallas Morning News's Evan Grant confirmed the deal on Twitter, which was first reported by The Athletic's Levi Weaver.
The left-handed hitter was scratched from Wednesday night's game against the Diamondbacks minutes before the first pitch for "non-medical reasons."
He led Texas to a victory on Tuesday in what is likely his last game as a Ranger, hitting a three-run home run and notching two outfield assists.
Texas Rangers - World Series Champions
The Gold Glove-winning outfielder had repeatedly said that he wanted to stay a Ranger.
But the last-place Rangers, reeling from a 12-game losing streak, were fielding calls for Gallo before the July 30 deadline.
"At the end of the day, in my head and my heart, I feel like I'll be a Ranger," Gallo said during the All-Star Break. "It's all I've ever been my whole life, so I can't really think about ever not being a Texas Ranger. But at the end of the day, it's a business. If the team feels moving me might fit them better, then I understand that."
