Watch: New York Yankees star outfielder breaks slump, goes yard as Bombers crush the Pirates
After a torrid three weeks at the plate, the New York Yankees' Joey Gallo finally broke his slump with a home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
When the Yankees lose two straight games, fans usually start to look for a scapegoat. Gallo was fast becoming that guy.
Back. To. Back. Joey Gallo with a blast! https://t.co/9TrLxMYMRJ
"Back. To. Back. Joey Gallo with a blast!" - YES Network
With the New York Yankees winning 3-0, Gallo stepped up in the sixth inning to hit a 426-foot rocket to center field. That resulted in back-to-back home runs for the Yankees after Josh Donaldson hit a 417-foot shot off Mitch Keller.
Both players have been heavily criticized coming into the series for their lack of productivity over the past few weeks.
Gallo had to be relieved after only one hit in his last 33 plate appearances going into this game. The Yankees outfielder was under tremendous pressure as he was brought in from the Texas Rangers predominantly for his hitting and power.
The New York Yankees aren't paying him to walk, steal bases or play defense. Gallo is there to hit home runs and add power to the lineup.
New York Yankees star Joey Gallo hits his 10th home run of the season
Joey Gallo has suffered arguably his worst start to a season in his nine-year major league career. Going into the Pirates game, he had a .165/.277/.325 slash line.
Gallo leads the team in strikeouts with 91. He currently also has the lowest batting average on the team.
Kyle Higashioka, Joey Gallo, Aaron Hicks and Josh Donaldson have all homered in the same night
Enjoy this folks, this is rarer than seeing a solar eclipse
"Kyle Higashioka, Joey Gallo, Aaron Hicks and Josh Donaldson have all homered in the same night. Enjoy this folks, this is rarer than seeing a solar eclipse" - AT
Gallo's time in New York hasn't been as productive as many fans expected. The organization had high hopes for the two-time All-Star when they traded four of their top prospects to the Rangers in July 2021.
Since his arrival, Gallo has been sub-par. Last season, he contributed with 13 home runs and 22 RBIs in 58 games but with a batting average of only .160.
This season hasn't been much better. He has only 10 home runs and 19 RBIs after 198 at-bats. Expectations are much higher for a player who hit 41 home runs in 2017 and 40 home runs in 2018.
Gallo has been in and out of the lineup. New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone has had trouble finding a spot for him on the field and in the batting order. Hopefully, this can change the trajectory of the Yankees outfielder's season.
Aaron Hicks launches the second grand slam of the night for the Yankees! #RepBX #LetsGoBucs #Yankees #Pirates #MLB https://t.co/USnLOsXS5l
"Aaron Hicks launches the second grand slam of the night for the Yankees!" - Baseball Today
After scoring just two runs on Tuesday and getting shut out to the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday, the New York Yankees bats finally opened.
Gallo and Donaldson both homered in the sixth inning, Kyle Higashioka in the seventh and Aaron Judge in the eighth. Aaron Hicks added a grand slam, and Giancarlo Stanton added to the Pirates' misery with a homer in the bottom of the ninth.
The offense is finding runs from all sides of the batting order. If the Yankees can maintain this offensive firepower, combined with their top-tier starting pitching, they will continue to dominate the American League East.