The Yankees may be looking to make a move to bolster their outfield come the trade deadline, given the struggles of Joey Gallo and Aaron Hicks most or all of this season.
It just so happens the Phillies could use a strong defensive outfielder (especially now that they can DH one of Nick Castellanos or Kyle Schwarber with Bryce Harper out), and Joe Giglio from our sister station WIP in Philly had an idea: what about the Phils trading for Gallo?
From Giglio’s column this week on five potential Phillies moves:
How about an option that fits the ‘buy low, sell high’ mantra? There’s no player with a track record lower than Gallo (.169 AVG, 79 OPS+) right now. His fit in New York has been a disaster, and will likely soon follow the Javier Vazquez/Sonny Gray Express (talented players that failed miserably with the Yankees, but found success again when leaving) out of New York. If the Yankees are looking to dump Gallo for anything they can get before the trade deadline, the Phillies would be smart to look into it. Gallo’s light-tower power is real, and he comes with the ability to play center field. Worst case, it’s a flier on a guy that’s about to be a free agent. Best case? Gallo turns his career back around, and the Phillies can add huge power to both replace and pair with Harper as the season progresses.”
Harper is going to be out six-to-eight weeks with a fractured thumb he underwent surgery on this week, and as is, he was already limited to DH duty due to a small tear in the UCL in his right arm. That left the Phils with Schwarber and Castellanos, two bat-first outfielders, flanking a small army of different center fielders – so to Giglio’s point, Gallo can slot in to one of the corners to DH Schwarber/Castellanos for now, and then perhaps slide over to center when Harper returns, and hopefully help the Phillies make a run at a Wild Card spot (they are eighth in the NL entering Thursday).
For the Yankees, well, they could then target a left or center field-capable player at the trade deadline, or perhaps give Miguel Andujar, Tim Locastro, or Estevan Florial an extended look as a starter (either until August 2 or the rest of the way). Either one lets the team slide Aaron Judge back to his natural right field almost full-time (maybe mixing in some center if he and Giancarlo Stanton play the outfield together), and while Gallo’s defense is indeed Gold Glove capable, it wouldn’t be difficult to upgrade over a player who enters Thursday slashing .167/.276/.333 with 9 homers, 18 RBI, 28 BB and 84 K.
As for what the Phils would have to give up for Gallo? They’d be saving the Yankees whatever is left on Gallo’s $10.25 million salary, so they may just take the relief in order to facilitate another move, but it is worth noting/dreaming on that the Phils’ No. 3 prospect per MLB is current Double-A catcher Logan O’Hoppe, a Long Island native who is an excellent defender and growing offensively.
The Phillies have three more years of J.T. Realmuto, while the Yankees’ top catching prospect, Austin Wells, was just sent back to Low-A recently. Could O’Hoppe become the future behind the plate, eventually replacing one or more of Kyle Higashioka (two arbitration years, no options left), Jose Trevino (three arb years, one option), or the still injured Ben Rortvedt (five years of team control, two options with one possibly to be burned if/when he returns this year)?
Follow Lou DiPietro on Twitter: @LouDiPietroWFAN
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