Joey Gallo Announces He Wants To Be An MLB Pitcher Following White Sox Release

Sometimes, you just gotta try and reinvent yourself. MLB veteran Joey Gallo, a 31-year-old career .194 hitter, was released by the Chicago White Sox after another poor Spring Training at the plate. 

That poor showing included one of the worst challenges in the history of challenges. Although, to be fair to Gallo, this is the first year that MLB players can challenge ball or strike calls. 

It was probably at this point that Gallo realized a reinvention was necessary. Well, it was almost certainly the moment that the Chicago White Sox, a team that won 41 games last year (20 fewer than any other MLB team), told him that he wasn't good enough to make their team. 

So, what's he going to do? Try to become an MLB pitcher. 

The news was first reported by… Joey Gallo. He posted on X, "It's been fun outfield" before adding a second post that read, "Just to be clear, I will be pitching." 

Gallo was the ultimate boom-or-bust hitter throughout his 10-year career. He hit 208 home runs in 939 career games played (an average of 36 homers per 162 games played), walked 497 times and struck out a whopping 1,292 times. 

Gallo led the MLB in strikeouts and walks in 2021, with 213 and 111, respectively. So, if anyone understands what it takes to strike out a hitter, it should be Joey Gallo. 

MLB veteran Joey Gallo was released by the Chicago White Sox and he took to social media to announce that he wants to continue his career... but as a pitcher. 

(Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Imagn Images)

In addition to his prodigious power at the plate, Gallo has always had a strong arm in the outfield. He had 271 assists during his 10 seasons split between five different teams (Rangers, Yankees, Dodgers, Twins and Nationals). 

Does he have a strong enough arm to make it as a pitcher in Major League Baseball? Only time will tell.