Mar 11, 2025; Peoria, Arizona, USA; Chicago White Sox infielder Joey Gallo against the San Diego Padres during a spring training game at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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White Sox Part Ways with Joey Gallo as Former All-Star Looks to Reinvent Himself

Joey Gallo has been known for his elite arm in the outfield!

For years, baseball has seen players with elite throwing arms make waves in different roles. Some have dominated on the mound, others have unleashed cannon throws from the outfield. And now, one former All-Star slugger with one of the strongest arms in baseball is ready to turn things around by stepping onto the mound himself. No, it’s obviously not Shohei Ohtani yet. It’s Joey Gallo.

Joey Gallo, once among the most feared power hitters in the game, is officially trying his hand at pitching after being released by the Chicago White Sox.

The 31-year-old slugger had one of the most prolific home run stretches in baseball from 2017 to 2021, ranking sixth in the league with back-to-back 40-homer seasons. But his struggles with strikeouts and a career .194 batting average left him without a team heading into the 2024 season. Now, he’s looking to reinvent himself on the mound.

“It’s been fun outfield,” Gallo wrote on social media, sharing a video of his impressive throws to cut down baserunners. He later clarified: “Just to be clear, I will be pitching.”

Just to be clear, I will be pitching.
— Joey Gallo (@JoeyGallo24) March 16, 2025

Gallo had signed a minor-league deal with the White Sox but managed just two hits in 20 at-bats during Cactus League play, striking out 11 times in nine games. On Sunday, the team announced his release. Shortly after, Gallo revealed his decision to shift his focus to pitching.

White Sox assistant general manager Josh Barfield confirmed that Gallo had expressed interest in making the transition if things didn’t work out at the plate.

“I know it’s something he’s been dabbling with between some of his reps here,” Barfield told MLB.com. “He asked for his release today, so we accommodated that.”

Gallo, a two-time Gold Glove winner, has long been known for his elite outfield arm, ranking in the 90th percentile in arm strength as recently as 2022. While he has never pitched professionally, the raw ability is there.

Gallo hit .161 with 10 home runs, 27 RBIs, and 102 strikeouts in 223 at-bats with Washington last season before the Nationals declined his $8 million mutual option in November. Over his 10-year career with the Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, and Washington Nationals, he has hit 208 homers while striking out nearly 1,300 times in 2,869 at-bats.

While position players occasionally transition to pitching, it’s rare for a player of Gallo’s stature to make such a dramatic switch. Yankees manager Aaron Boone acknowledged that while it’s an unconventional move, it’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility.

ALSO READ: Yankees Injury Update: Another Pitcher Under Injury Cloud as Rotation Woes Deepen

“He’s a pretty talented guy, so stranger things have happened,” Boone said Sunday at Steinbrenner Field. “Obviously a really good arm in the outfield. Interesting.”

Joey Gallo

White Sox

Mohsin Baldiwala

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Mohsin Baldiwala is a Master’s student in Journalism and freelance content producer who got hooked on baseball through Seinfeld’s hapless George Costanza. The same reason why he’s a Yankees fan. He writes about sports because he believes it can offer a brief escape from the world’s chaos. Even if that means enduring the heartbreak of the 2024 World Series.