Potential landing spots for Joey Gallo

Nov 23, 2022 - 1:00 PM

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Despite all the buzz about Cody Bellinger and Justin Turner, there’s still plenty to be said about other intriguing Dodger decisions. Among them: what to do with Joey Gallo.

After the promise of a fresh start at Dodger Stadium, Gallo didn’t perform quite as well as expected. He struck out more and walked less than he did as a Yankee, according to Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic, but there’s a chance that the ban on shifts could change that.

If the Dodgers hang on to Gallo, they have options. The team could consider putting him in center field after non-tendering Bellinger, or moving Chris Taylor to center to install Gallo in left. But the door isn’t fully closed on Bellinger, and James Outman — who made headlines in his major-league debut — might make his way to a more permanent position with the team’s outfield in 2023.

The Athletic’s Tim Britton projects a one-year, $13 million contract for Gallo next season, a figure based in part on Gallo’s more impressive 2021 season with the Texas Rangers and agent Scott Boras’s tendency to orchestrate one-year deals that boost his clients’ values. So, who might be willing to pay if the Dodgers end their experiment? Ardaya lists clubs looking for a literal trading chip at the deadline, like the Cubs or Reds, in addition to the Giants, Angels, and Blue Jays.

Dodgers Links

Jack Harris at the Los Angeles Times gives fans a few big storylines to watch for the offseason, including whether the team spends big on stars like Aaron Judge or uses their savings to reset the luxury tax.

Judge isn’t the only big name on the Dodgers’ radar: The team is reportedly interested in Justin Verlander, but so are the Mets, says Bridget Hyland at NJ.com.

In honor of Elton John’s final North American tour, which concluded at Dodger Stadium over the weekend, the Dodgers donated $1 million to the Elton John AIDS Foundation.