On offense, the Twins are starting their new build with a clear motive to upgrade at first base. In fact, they’ve already had conversations with a few different options — names you’ve probably even heard of.

You know who Falvey wouldn’t be able to pass up if he were on the market? 2022-2023 Joey Gallo. If we placed a slightly past his prime Gallo on the free agent market right now, the Twins would be just as interested as they were in spring 2023, when they signed him.

Unfortunately for Derek Falvey, while the 32-year-old is on the free agency market, it’s not as a position player. Instead, Gallo has taken the past year to change his professional direction.

After hitting .166 with a .665 OPS between 2023 and 2024, the 2012 No. 39 overall pick in the MLB Draft announced his desire to become a big league pitcher, a rather unprecedented move for someone his age.

Joey Gallo drawing pitching interest

Of course, there’s a big difference between wanting to do something, and actually being able to achieve it. It’d be cool to walk on the moon, but that doesn’t mean I have what it takes to make that happen?

But don’t tell that to Gallo. Because at the Winter Meetings this week, Jon Heyman (NY Post) is reporting that Joey Gallo is actually drawing interest right now from multiple teams, as a pitcher.

Joey Gallo the pitcher is drawing interest from several teams

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 10, 2025

After a 100 OPS+ with the Minnesota Twins in 2023, Gallo batted just .161/.277/.336 across 76 games for the Washington Nationals in 2024. When at his best, from 2017 through 2021, Gallo owned a solid .336 on-base percentage and an impressive .834 OPS.

Without a doubt, his patience as a hitter and knowledge of the strike zone could serve him well on the mound. Now, if only he can generate as many strikeouts on the mound as he did while in the box, teams will be crawling all over themselves to get their hands on him.

As a position player, Gallo racked up nearly 1,300 career strikeouts, a nearly impossible number for someone with only 3,400 plate appearances.

pic.twitter.com/lh4OU4rp0j

— Joey Gallo (@JoeyGallo24) November 21, 2025

It’s also worth noting that Gallo’s arm strength fell off a cliff during the end of his previous MLB career. However, Statcast has recorded him hitting 99.3 mph, back in 2020.

He consistently threw balls into the infield that were in the upper 90’s, throughout the course of his career. Obviously, there is more to pitching than just velocity, but heat helps make everything else easier on the mound.

If and when Gallo lands a job, it’s likely to be of the minor league variety, at least to start. From there, it’ll be about getting guys out. If he can get outs, he’ll get his shots.

Despite the 2023 MN Twins winning the AL Central and having their best postseason run in decades, it’s hard to remember that Joey Gallo was part of it. He signed a one-year deal for $11 million, and gave the Twins a putrid .177/.301/.440 line across 111 games to show for it.

Rocco Baldelli opted against putting Gallo on the postseason roster in 2023. He then went to Washington last year and had a career-worst 74 OPS+ in 76 games. This offseason he signed with the worst team in baseball. Now, even the Chicago White Sox have sent him packing.

Chicago White Sox release former Twins slugger Joey Gallo

Joey Gallo found his way back to the AL Central by way of the Chicago White Sox. That’s a bottom-of-the-barrel landing spot after they lost an MLB-record 121 games last season. Just under two weeks before Opening Day he was granted his release.

Couple updates:

Joey Gallo has been granted his unconditional release

Mason Adams diagnosed with flexor strain in right elbow … timetable TBD

— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) March 16, 2025

Through nine Cactus League games, Gallo had just two hits in 21 plate appearances. What’s worse is that he also owned an 11/1 K/BB. For a guy who has always struck out a ton, the lack of ability to draw walks is a new problem.

Related: Minnesota Twins Superstar Suffers Spring Training Injury

It’s also entirely plausible that Gallo simply doesn’t know where the strike zone is anymore. His pitch challenge against San Diego Padres starter Dylan Cease was nothing short of hilarious earlier this spring.

Trying to explain why Joey Gallo challenged a strike down the middle pic.twitter.com/e5V46f70nP

— Jomboy (@Jomboy_) March 14, 2025

At his best, Gallo was a on-base machine. Despite leading the league with 213 strikeouts in 2021, he also walked a league-leading 111 times. He has just a career .194 batting average, but has gotten on base at a .319 clip.

Now 31 years old and released by baseball’s worst team, it’s probably time for Gallo to consider a different form of employment. Coincidentally, he is doing just that.

Joey Gallo now focusing on the mound

It’s time to notate Gallo as a former outfielder. Across 890 career big league games he has played 592 of them in the outfield. He also has 206 at first base and another 92 at the hot corner. He has graded out positively from a defensive metrics standpoint, and his arm shined from the grass. One spot he has not played, quite literally ever, is pitcher.

That’s about to change.

Just to be clear, I will be pitching.

— Joey Gallo (@JoeyGallo24) March 16, 2025

It remains to be seen if Gallo will be given an immediate affiliated opportunity after switching to the mound. The Guardians have former outfielder Tyler Naquin trying to make it back as a pitcher. Anthony Gose, coincidentally another former Guardian, did make the transition from outfield to the mound.

Related: Death, Taxes and Minnesota Twins Bullpen Injuries Down in Fort Myers

It’s a natural progression for a player with a big arm to try their hand throwing the ball by batters. Gallo was drafted out of high school and began pro ball at 18. That means he last pitched at least 13 years ago. He’ll certainly be hoping that he has a better grasp of the zone from the mound than he has shown recently in the box.

The assumption should be that Gallo will look to make it as a reliever that can unleash his arm in short bursts. In 2022 and 2023 Gallo’s arm ranked in the 90th and 82nd percentile from the outfield per Baseball Savant.

That includes both external and internal options. Over the weekend, Falvey told reporters that the Twins will not pursue high quality hitters at the trade deadline and, to this point, they’ve keep on writing Max Kepler and Joey Gallo into the starting lineup, even though both hitters’ have struggled mightily all season.

Matt Wallner keeps raking, but can’t buy a big league call up.

Meanwhile, 25-year-old corner outfielder, Matt Wallner, has been CRUSHING Triple-A pitching for the St. Paul Saints most of the season. He’s batting .292 on the year, with a .931 OPS and won Minor League Player of the Week a week ago. But no matter how well he hits (.348 BA, 1.010 OPS since May 27) and Twins’ corner outfielders struggle, Wallner can’t get a call up.

Matt Wallner is our Minor League Hitter of the Week????

Wallner posted a triple slash of .450/.450/.900 (1.350 OPS) with 2 HR, 2 2B, 1 3B, and 4 RBI????#MNTwins pic.twitter.com/reYabVQdTA

— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) July 2, 2023

Matt Wallner update: Since May 27 (day he got 4 hits at Target Field) he’s hitting .348/.443/.607. He obviously deserves a chance to succeed with the Twins, but it appears they won’t allow it. pic.twitter.com/uXRO5DHom0

— Jeff (@MNTwinsZealot) July 10, 2023

It’s obvious to everyone who’s not making roster decisions for the Minnesota Twins that they need more production out of their corner outfield positions. If Falvey isn’t going to acquire that help via trade then he needs to stop delaying the inevitable in-house.

DFA Max Kepler and/or Joey Gallo and call Matt Wallner up for a real chance at being an everyday MLB outfielder. In his first call-up this season, Wallner went 7 for 19 (.368) with a HR, 4 RBI and a 1.099 OPS. In 76 career big league at bats, Wallner is batting .263 with a .812 OPS (130 OPS+).

Is there any doubt he’d be an upgrade over Kepler and Gallo? Not really. So WTF are the Twins waiting for? If this organization has any common baseball sense, they will come back from the All-Star break this weekend without Kepler and/or Gallo on the roster and Matt Wallner batting 5th in the lineup.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Twins need offensive help

Jorge Polanco, Alex Kirilloff and Josh Winder have all been moved up to Triple-A St. Paul.

Polanco is expected to play 9 innings and Kirilloff is expected to play 7 innings for the Saints today.

— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) April 18, 2023

Joey Gallo is here in Boston and the Twins expect to activate him tomorrow.

— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) April 18, 2023

The Twins have struggled offensively, to start the season. They rank 26th in the MLB in runs (63), 28th in team OPS (.644), 27th in OPS+ (86), 26th in batting average (.230), 27th in RBI (58) and 23rd in home runs (16). Up until now, this has been a team that needs really good pitching to win. So far, they have mostly gotten that.

But if the Twins are getting a healthy Jorge Polanco, Alex Kirilloff and Joey Gallo inserted into their lineup it completely changes what the offense has to offer. Gallo was one of the team’s best hitters before he was sidelined with an injury. Jorge Polanco is an all-star 2nd baseman and one of the most proven offensive weapons on roster. And Alex Kirilloff, if his wrist is healthy, is better than both.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Joey Gallo has agreed to a one-year, $11 million deal with the Twins, per source. @JonHeyman was on it.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) December 16, 2022

Joey Gallo is a solid corner outfielder who has plenty of power to right field, in his bat. He’s never hit for average, however, and that has come back to bite him in recent years.

Joey Gallo Overview

Gallo has a career .199 BA but that has dropped to .183 since the start of 2020. His OPS (.728) and OPS+ (101) are both down significantly in that time, as well. Still, those OPS numbers aren’t bad, by any means.

A former 1st round pick (39th overall) of the Texas Rangers in 2012, Gallo played 6.5 seasons in Arlington before he was traded to the New York Yankees during the 2021 season. In 2022, he was traded to the Dodgers.

The Twins were willing to go as high as $11 million for next season so they must believe the soft lights of Target Field will help Gallo rebound, after playing two seasons in big markets like New York and LA.

Goodbye Max Kepler

But if you hated how often Miguel Sano struck out, then you might want to shut your eyes when Joey Gallo comes to the plate. He might be the only player in the league with a higher propensity to swing and miss. He walks a lot, though too. In fact, Gallo led the league in both categories in 2021 (213 Ks, 111 BBs).

Miguel Sanó has the second-highest career strikeout rate in MLB history at 36.4 percent.

And the only player with a higher career strikeout rate — at 37.3 percent — is Joey Gallo.

(Gallo is a good defensive corner outfielder, making him a better all-around player. But still.)

— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) December 16, 2022

It’s likely this move signals the end for Max Kepler, who the Minnesota Twins are actively shopping to other teams. He is on the final year of a deal he’s been vastly overpaid for. His defense, however, makes him a positive trade asset.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan