ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - In what was an expected move, Giovanny Gallegos time with the Cardinals organization has come to an end, with the longtime Cardinals reliever having cleared through waivers and has elected free agency.
Gallegos joined the Cardinals in 2018 alongside Chasen Shrieve in a trade from the New York Yankees that saw the Yankees acquire St. Louis-native Luke Voit from the Cardinals.
While it looked like the trade would look to be a hit primarily for the Yankees after a strong performance by Voit in the shortened 2020 season, ultimately the trade proved to be fruitful for both sides, with Gallegos becoming a key piece in the Cardinals bullpen from 2019-2022, posting a 2.84 ERA in 212 appearances, striking out 282 batters in 228 1/3 innings and racking up 33 saves.
The strong performances by Gallegos from 2019-2022 earned him a nice two-year contract worth $11 million with a option for 2025 right before the start of the 2023 season.
However, the last two seasons have proved to be a struggle for Gallegos, with Gallegos posting a ERA of 5 the last two seasons, allowing 47 earned runs through 75 2/3 innings, and giving up 17 home runs.
With the release of Gallegos, the Cardinals will be on the hook for the remainder of the $5.5 million he was due in 2024 along with paying Gallegos a 500K buyout on his 2025 option.
