WASHINGTON – The Nationals were looking for more power and a left-handed bat this winter.
Hard-hitting outfielder/first baseman Gallo and Washington have agreed to a one-year, $5 million deal, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand on Tuesday. The team has not confirmed the deal, which includes $1 million in performance bonuses.
The Nationals had a spot open in the starting first base position after they designated Dominic Smith for assignment in November. The plan is for Joey Meneses, who was named DH last season and has played first in the past, to spend some of his time at first base next season. The 30-year-old Gallo can help fill innings in both roles as well as in the outfield. Last season with the Twins, he made 36 starts at first base, 34 in left field, six in center field and six in right field.
“I think we're going to be aggressive again this year and look for a hitter who can play the corner infield – be it third base or first base or DH or left field – or a combination of all three,” the general manager said Mike Rizzo at the winter meetings in December.
When asked if he would prefer to have a left-handed hitter play in the outfield or elsewhere at the Winter Meetings, manager Dave Martinez replied: “I'd like to get a left-handed hitter as an outfielder. “I'll take anyone but having an outfielder would be great.”
Gallo was hit or miss in 2023. He demonstrated his lighthouse power by hitting 21 home runs in just 332 plate appearances, but his whiff and strikeout rates lowered his already historically high rates. He slashed .177/.301/.440 with an OPS of .741 in 111 games.
The hope is that Gallo can return to the player he was a few years ago, when he hit 151 home runs in 573 games from 2017 to 2021, including 38 or more three times over a five-season span with the Rangers. Gallo has always hit with conspicuously low averages, but the last two seasons have seen him reach new extremes, hitting .168 but lacking the power (40 homers in 237 games) needed to compensate.
But there's good news: Although his contact numbers aren't impressive, Gallo was still a net winner with the bat last season, posting a wRC+ of 104. Gallo continued to run at an excellent pace (14.5 percent) and recorded a Elite hard hit (52.9 percent) and barrel rate (19.3 percent). Any improvement in his bat-to-ball skills would help him go from average to good with the bat quickly.
Gallo has been slightly below average in the field the last two seasons, but from 2018 to 2021 he was worth 7 outs above average, so there is still a shot he can value with the glove. He was also a solid baserunner throughout his career, yielding three career baserunning runs, according to Statcast. FanGraphs has also rated him as a positive contributor on the bases every year of his career.
There's a chance Gallo's strong start to the 2023 season could also reflect his true talent level. Gallo injured his left hamstring in mid-May – right around the time he lost his home run swing – and ultimately had his season ended in September due to a left foot injury.
Gallo joins third baseman Nick Senzel and right-hander Dylan Floro as the Nationals' offseason free-agent signings.