Well-timed Joey Gallo IL trip saves Twins slugger from Yankee Stadium boos

Considering Yankees fans blocked time off on their calendars to take a spring training road trip to boo Joey Gallo a few weeks ago, it's safe to assume the slugger's reception at his first Yankee Stadium home game following last August's trade would be a doozy.

Luckily, for all parties, that booing serenade will not occur this week.

Gallo, off to a powerful start in Minnesota with three home runs/a .278 average in his first 18 at-bats, was off his feet for several days this week while the Twins made an IL decision.

They'll play shorthanded no longer heading into a four-game set in the Bronx, as Gallo has been placed on the 10-Day IL with an intercostal strain. That'll also save many drunk Yankee fans a trip to the IL with strained vocal chords from giving him the business.

Yankees won't face Joey Gallo vs Twins this weekend

Good. Saves us some truly awful discourse. After what the fans have done to Aaron Hicks in every venue from late-game at-bats to Opening Day pregame festivities to the line for cold cuts at his local deli (probably), we really weren't poised to enjoy any new Gallo takes from the masses.

You know the drill. Player struggles in a Yankees uniform, fans want him gone. Player does one competent thing in someone else's uniform, fans want him back. The world turns. The fans boo the world, telling it to stop turning.

It's not like the Yankees are getting a break, though, because whatever you think of Gallo/however many Gary Sánchez-style revenge dingers you thought he had in him, he's been replaced by...

Thus far at Triple-A, Julien has slugged two homers and driven in four runs in 31 at-bats, hitting .290 with a .421 OBP.

Look on the bright side. At least they're not promoting Emmanuel Rodriguez, the top prospect who turned a recent Yankees-Twins game on its head with a two-strike, two-out thunderclap home run against Albert Abreu.

The more time we have before we have to boo him in the bigs, the better.

Rest up, Joey. Surely, Michael Kay will have something to say to you anyway, regardless of how well your intercostal is healing.