Yankees: 3 Joey Gallo trades team could pursue in offseason

Why? Why does it always come to this?

Why do the New York Yankees make blockbuster acquisitions that already have to be discussed as potential reversals two months into a one-and-a-half-year commitment?

Why does the New York media get the chance to write about Joey Gallo in the same tone of voice as Sonny freaking Gray after two months of data? Why does acquiring Kiké Hernández and Hunter Renfroe work out in Boston, but adding a 40-homer, Gold Glove All-Star lefty to the Yankees’ lineup result in two months of a feckless .160 average?

The acquisition of Gallo was meant to balance the Bombers’ lineup, and it did, adding high-profile swings-and-misses from both sides of the plate.

Bottom line … I like Gallo. I like a player with some of the best power in baseball and the glove to match. I like that he’s a fan. I like it all, in theory.

But there’s definitely a chance — set the odds right in the middle — that the Yankees decide they’ve already seen enough, and don’t want to go through another year of waiting for Gallo to get comfortable.

Often, the “perfect player” isn’t on the market. A contact-hitting, 25-homer-rocketing, fielding extraordinaire is a tough thing to find. You typically can’t trade for Dansby Swanson, unless Dave Stewart is feeling frisky. It’s tough to demand the Yankees cast a magic spell and add a perfect diversifier to their lineup.

Gallo also has nowhere to go but up next year. There’s no reason to think he “can’t handle” New York. There was also a hot streak buried in his struggles in mid-September; unfortunately, the buzz of that heater got harshed by a stiff neck, leading to another late-season tailspin.

Things could not have gone much worse this season, but even with a little bit of rabble-rousing already out there, it’d be stunning to see the Yanks reverse course and pull the plug after surrendering four prospects for the lefty’s services in late July.

If the team sees things differently, though, there will surely be plenty of suitors lined up for the experiment.

Yankees could pursue these 3 Joey Gallo trades this offseason.

3. Padres-Joey Gallo Trade

The Padres were supposedly second in line for Joey Gallo this trade deadline, and at one point seemed like the favorites because of the sheer variety of assets they could offer.

Well … now’s your chance! Step right up!

Gallo has certainly lost trade value over the past several weeks, but mostly due to the shorter length of control the acquiring team will have over his contract. Despite a down month-and-a-half in New York, he’s still the same player he always was. He will hit you 40 bombs. He will shine in the field. A fringe playoff team should be all over this.

The Yanks were able to talk Texas into four mid-level prospects in exchange, all of whom have a chance to make an MLB impact. If Brian Cashman were to flip Gallo out west, he’d probably look for one high-ceiling option and two lottery tickets. Maybe A-Ball lefty Robert Gasser (SD’s No. 10 prospect, per MLB Pipeline), plus No. 19 prospect catcher Brandon Valenzuela and a rookie-league relative unknown (you know, like Luis Gil in the Jake Cave trade).

However it gets done, expect AJ Preller and the Padres to be the first on the phone in this scenario.