Texas Rangers: 2 teams that can offer the most for Joey Gallo in a trade

It’s the middle of June and the connection between potential trades and the Texas Rangers are in full force — it was only inevitable, especially when the link involves outfielder Joey Gallo.

The slugger is not only the Rangers’ longest tenured current player, but also the one with the highest perceived trade value.

Gallo’s tenure with the club could be even longer in theory. The 27-year old is under the team’s control until 2023. Despite that, his immediate fate with the Rangers is bound to be dictated on where Texas’ brass determines the team stands in its rebuild.

And for the 2012 first-round pick, speculation surrounding a trade out of Arlington is nothing new.

“Last year, I got a pretty good taste of what it’s like,” Gallo told reporters via Zoom on May 30. “I understand it’s a business.”

After a 18-18 start to the 2021 campaign, the Rangers have since seen their record fall to 16 games below .500. The competitive American League West division has seemingly excluded Texas from any conversations that involve contending.

After opting to keep Gallo on the roster at last year’s trade deadline, 2021 acts as take two for Jon Daniels and Chris Young.

In the spirit of trade season, let’s map out some potential Gallo deals.

Texas Rangers trade partner: San Diego Padres

The Padres have been linked to Gallo frequently this season.

The Padres and Rangers are on different ends of the spectrum from a contention standpoint. As a result, the two acting as trade partners this summer is an intriguing proposition.

San Diego’s perceived desire to acquire Gallo speaks more to the team’s winning window than it does to filling an immediate need. The outfield in Southern California is crowded, and speculation about whether the Padres would send back a big-leaguer back to Texas in a potential trade is a fair question to ask.

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And that perceived desire has gone a step further, as reports indicate that San Diego has remained “interested” in the Rangers outfielder.

There are no mincing words — the Rangers’ 21st-ranked farm system is in need of a boost, and the Padres’ sixth-ranked minor-league group can help the cause.

Determining the exact value in return for Gallo would purely be speculation, but it’s safe to say that the slugger would act as one of the top position players available prior the league’s July 30 trade deadline, if the Rangers do in fact choose to actively shop him.

That fact alone should garner Texas prospects in return that rank 5-10 in any given team’s system.

Additionally, San Diego’s stacked lineup is struggling to produce runs, only furthering the case to trade for Gallo’s big bat.

Potential trade targets from Padres:

Justin Lange (RHP)

Lange, the 34th overall pick in the most recent player’s draft, ranks as the Padres’ sixth-best prospect, according to MLB.com. With a plus fastball and above-average slider, his emergence through the Padres’ system has come quicker than initially expected.

Joshua Mears (OF) 

Mears was selected in the second round of the 2019 MLB Draft. For the 20-year old, it’s about the power he displays at the plate. If the Padres opt to not be as patient as they may have to be with Mears, the Rangers’ opportunity to take advantage of the potential trade-chip grows even more.

Mason Thompson (RHP)

Selected in the third-round of the 2016 MLB Draft, and coming at a height of 6-foot-7, Thompson could be a pitcher that spends time at the big-league level sooner rather than later.