Gallo’s home run barrage ends, Rangers lose heartbreaker to Mariners in extra innings
Joey Gallo is seeing the ball well. Really well.
In a five-game stretch that lasted through Thursday, the Rangers right fielder hit seven home runs, and raised his batting average some 21 points.
Even with his swing-for-the-fences approach — which includes its fair share of strikeouts — it was an incredible week for the 27-year-old, whose 20th home run Thursday positioned him within the top ten on the major league home run list.
But the way Rangers manager Chris Woodward says Gallo handles that success is what impresses him most. He plays hard, and runs every ball out. He plays with effort on every pitch.
“Joey’s obviously got superstar talent, and he’s had a ton of expectations throughout his life, honestly, ever since he was younger … to be a superstar in the major leagues,” Woodward said. “The way he handles himself, the way he handles success, is pretty impressive.”
Gallo’s recent stretch may have been considered a breakout, but he’s no stranger to hitting home runs; since 2017, he’s been the Texas hitter you want to avoid.
It shows on the stat sheet. So far this year, Gallo is leading the major leagues with 63 walks, three of them intentional. Pitchers aren’t excited to throw to the six-foot-five, 250-pound slugger. A missed pitch location could translate into opposing runs.
His uptick in walk rate, Woodward says — up roughly seven percent from last year -- stems from off-season training that focused on minimizing his chase rate.
In other words, Gallo is avoiding pitches that miss, and attacking those that don’t.
“One thing Joey did from day one this year was…he doesn’t chase,” Woodward said. “He stayed in the strike zone. He worked really hard at that. He’s obviously getting more positive results. He’s hit a ton of homers lately, but his approach has been very similar all year. … Now,he’s just not missing pitches, and they end up in the seats a lot. He’s been pretty consistent all year, and it’s a good thing for our young guys to see.”
The last Ranger to homer in five straight games was Mike Napoli in April 2012. Only eight Rangers have achieved such a feat; of those eight, only three of them have hit seven home runs or more.
Woodward’s comparison? Frightening.
“The run (Gallo) is on right now is comparable to what I saw Barry Bonds do in his career,” Woodward said. “Every pitch he gets to hit, it’s a home run right now.”
In 2019, Gallo became the first player in major league history to record his 100th home run before his 100th career single. It was a feat he attained en route to his first (andonly) All-Star appearance. In 2020, he won an American League Gold Glove in right field during a pandemic-shortened season.
RANGERS LOSE HEARTBREAKER FRIDAY NIGHT
Gallo was unavailable for comment on Friday at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. His home run streak may have come to an end, but he drew a sixth-inning walk, extending his major-league lead to 64.
The Rangers, winners of five of their last six, came into their weekend series in Seattle with a head of steam. But the Mariners, as they have all season, came from behind to secure a one-run victory in an extra-inning affair.
Texas had led 3-0 until the fifth inning, when Seattle began chipping away at the Ranger lead. Jake Fraley hit a solo home run, narrowing the lead to two. Mariners designated hitter Kyle Seager drove in a run on a fielder’s choice in the seventh, and a home run by Luis Torrens and subsequent RBI-single by J.P. Crawford gave Seattle their first lead of the game in the eighth.
But Texas wasn’t finished just yet.
Jonah Heim laced a ball over the head of Mariner Fraley, which plated Texas’ tying run in the ninth, and the game wound up in extras.
With Charlie Culberson automatically placed on second to begin the tenth, Brock Holt popped up to the third baseman. Nate Lowe struck out on the twelfth pitch of the at-bat. And Adolis Garcia — as exciting as he’s been all year — put one last gasp of fear in the Seattle crowd. The deep flyout to right-center couldn’t clear the outfield fence, and the rally ended.
Seattle was a runner on second away from a victory, and up stepped Shed Long Jr. He laid down a bunt good enough to move baserunner Jake Bauers to third, and the Mariners’ winning run stood 90 feet away.
Fraley, who had put the Mariners on the board first, delivered yet again with a walk-off single in the tenth that clinched a 5-4 win. The hit ensured that Seattle’s postgame fireworks show would be more than just a consolation prize for those who sat through the four hour-plus contest at T-Mobile Park.
“Sloppy,” Woodward said regarding the loss. “I think on both sides of the game. … They gave us three runs, and we gave them right back.”