Texas Rangers Week in Review: Who’s Hot, Who’s Not

Jun 3, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Rangers designated hitter Joey Gallo (13) reacts after striking out during the game against the Chicago White Sox at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

3. Joey Gallo

I was not a fan of putting

here since he has played just four games in the big leagues, but after his first game he has hit his first rough stretch. Gallo is hitting .313/.389/.750 so far but is just 2-for-14 since that first game. Gallo has been hitting 6th in the order for three of the games and hit 5th in the other game as the Rangers look to balance a lineup that is heavy with left-handed hitters.

Source:

As you can see above, Gallo has pulled all six of his batted balls to right field. If this trend continues he could be the next in line to face the shift as teams will look to take away those base hits. The best way for Gallo to avoid this happening is to start to drive the ball to left field or just continue to hit most of the balls over the fence.

The biggest concern for Gallo by far has been his continued problem with striking out. Gallo has struck out 10 times in his 16 at-bats, including striking out in all four of his ABs in yesterday’s game. While Gallo has had to face two strong left-handed pitchers in Chris Sale and Carlos Rodon, four of the 10 strikeouts have come against right-handed pitchers.

Gallo will likely not be up with the Rangers for much longer, as Adrian Beltre will not be out much longer and he will likely not remain with the team to take over left field while Josh Hamilton is injured. This will be good for Gallo as it will allow him to continue his development without the pressure of winning the Rangers are experiencing. Gallo should be ready towards the end of the season for another chance to show why he is the top prospect.

Next: Elvis continues slow season