Yankees rumored to be listening on Joey Gallo trades, but who replaces him?

Welcome to a classic example of what feels like a New York Yankees half-rumor.

The buzz? The Yankees have heard from a number of teams, in recent weeks, attempting to buy low on Joey Gallo after a difficult first two months of swinging and missing in pinstripes.

Sure. The Yanks might want to at least consider “pulling a Padres-Adam Frazier” and immediately ditch an All-Star mere months after surrendering serious assets to acquire him. That’d be an early plug pull and an admission of failure, but you might as well take the calls if they’re flowing in.

If the Yankees actually take the plunge here, we’ll be stunned, though. This isn’t how they work. This is a hard pivot regarding a player at his lowest value.

And … Starling Marte’s been signed. Who, exactly, are these Yankees clearing a path for if they trade their 40-homer, Gold Glove bat out of left field before he has a chance to craft a redemption narrative?

Unless the “AL West team involved” is the Oakland A’s, and Gallo beats the odds to become the MLB centerpiece of a Matt Olson/Sean Manaea trade, there don’t seem to be any legs here.

Yankees Rumors: Joey Gallo trade conversations coming?

“At least” one AL West team, you say? Mariners and A’s sound right to you?

Fresh off an eyesore of a 58-game stretch in pinstripes in which Gallo hit .160 with 13 bombs and an unpalatable 93 OPS+, it would make sense that the sharks would circle and try to get Brian Cashman to cut bait before the second year of control his team acquired in July. The Yankees aren’t that foolish, though. Part of Gallo’s appeal was the longevity. Selling off at a discount now doesn’t help the 2022 Bombers especially because, as flawed as the player’s game is, there are precious few alternatives after Marte came off the market.

Michael Brantley was last year’s obsession; he’s no longer available, either. Nick Castellanos? A Jesse Winker trade? Cedric Mullins?! The possibilities are endful — in other words, none of these are really plausible. The Yankees are supposed to be eyeing insurance for Aaron Hicks, not creating another hole in left to make Hicks and Brett Gardner all the more crucial.

Plus, Gallo has to be here once Olson arrives so his tampering will all have been worth it. Those are the rules.

We’re sure the phone has been ringing on Gallo lately. Every rival GM wants to catch Brian Cashman in a moment of weakness and is likely mapping out a way to get him to admit he made a mistake on Gallo last summer.

Don’t expect these calls to go beyond an initial check-in, though. Gallo may not be your favorite player, but he’s the best left fielder available.

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