Texas Rangers: Joey Gallo isn’t on the national radar, but he should be

The appreciation for Joey Gallo‘s power isn’t as widespread as it should be. It’s time for the MLB community to take notice of the Texas Rangers’ slugger.

Recently, some ESPN writers did a Home Run Derby draft, and I noticed something while reading it. The usual suspects were there–Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, and Khris Davis, to name a few. But there was a glaring omission, and I couldn’t believe it. Texas Rangers top slugger, Joey Gallo, was nowhere to be found on that list.

It’s hard to imagine why Gallo was overlooked. In his two full seasons in the big leagues, Gallo has ranked in the top five in home runs in both years. Of all the players mentioned on the draft list above, only Stanton, Davis, and J.D. Martinez have more home runs than Gallo in the past two seasons.

Gallo has hit 81 home runs over 2017 and 2018, more than Judge (79), Mike Trout (72), Nelson Cruz (76), Nolan Arenado (76), Manny Machado (70), and Bryce Harper (63). Yet, he’s still not mentioned in an article about the Home Run Derby.

How can he be so egregiously forgotten?

Gallo has kept a low profile when it comes to the national stage. He’s declined to participate in the Home Run Derby in both his full seasons in the Majors, something that should be applauded. Gallo wants to focus on the team’s success and his own mechanics.

I’m not sure if participating in the Home Run Derby actually causes a dip in production for the remainder of the season, but there is some proof to the theory. Maybe Gallo just wants a break in the middle of the season. Whatever the reason, he’s decided not to take part in the derby, and that’s kept him off the national media’s radar.

Another reason Gallo is being overlooked is the Texas Rangers haven’t had a lot of team success in the last two years. Maybe if Gallo had a chance to launch missiles in October he’d have a little more name recognition. It’s easy to be forgotten when your team is living in the basement of the AL West.

Regardless, it’s time for Joey Gallo to be recognized as one of the premier power hitters in MLB. He’s put up big home run numbers every full season he’s played, and there’s no reason to think he won’t continue to hit forty plus dingers for the foreseeable future. Maybe 2019 is the year Gallo takes the leap to superstar.