Yankees' Joey Gallo Admits: "I'm Not Able To Get More Hits"

New York Yankees outfielder Joey Gallo hears the boo-birds. He admits he hates looking up at the big scoreboard when he comes to bat, as it pains him to see his batting average, which is always amongst the lowest of any starter. He admits that he just doesn't have the skills in today's game to hit for a better average. 

“I have to find value because I’m not able to get more hits,” Gallo told Randy Miller of NJ.com. “I had to work on my walk rate and take more pitches... I wish I was DJ LeMahieu. I don’t get how he hits the ball so much. A lot of times, I wish I was a contact hitter, but I’m playing the hand that I was dealt.”

The hand he's been dealt is that of a "three true outcomes" kind of guy—home run, strikeout, walk. 

"A three-true-outcomes guy since I was 10 years old"

Gallo is struggling this season with a .182 average—low even for his standards—and a .633 OPS, almost 200 points below his career average. He's striking out at a 36.8% rate, right around his lifetime mark. Even his hallmark, home runs, aren't coming at their usual pace—only 5 thus far in 2022. Though according to MLB.com's Mike Petriello, he is "heating up":

I feel like people haven't noticed Joey Gallo is heating up because he's got a .191 avg. But:

APR .570 OPS 42% K // 12% BB

MAY .835 OPS 30% K // 18% BB

Hilariously he's pulling way MORE and going oppo not at all even once in May. pic.twitter.com/AKWKkEbBnT

— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) May 17, 2022

The .835 OPS in May took a bit off a hit after Tuesday night's 0-for-5. 

At 28 years old, the 6'5", 250 pounder isn't about to be able to change his approach at the plate. "I’ve been a three-true-outcomes guy since I was 10 years old," he told Miller. "When I started hearing about advanced stats more and more, I liked it because it actually made me seem like a good player when everybody was saying I’m not. They have metrics now to show there’s more than this guy’s game than just looking at the scoreboard and seeing .190.”

Nevertheless, Yankee fans do see the scoreboard, however, and they are letting Gallo know about it. 

Photo Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports