Washington Nationals Decline Option on Joey Gallo, Sending Slugger Into Free Agency
The Washington Nationals have declined their end of Joey Gallo’s mutual option, MASN Sports’ Mark Zuckerman reported Sunday.
Had the Nationals and Gallo had both picked up their respective halves of the option, the veteran slugger would have been due $8 million in 2025. Instead, the soon-to-be 31-year-old Gallo will enter free agency for the third winter in a row.
Gallo, who had a $2.5 million salary in 2024, will receive a $2.5 million buyout. He also earned $200K in performance bonuses.
Gallo was limited to 76 games this season, thanks to combination of injuries and healthy scratches. He hit the shelf in April due to a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder, then missed nearly two full months with a left hamstring strain over the summer.
When he was in the lineup, Gallo hit .161, marking his fifth consecutive season batting below the Mendoza Line. His .613 OPS was the lowest of his career, while his 10 home runs, 27 RBI and 0.3 WAR were his fewest in a non-COVID season since his rookie year in 2016.
Gallo was once one of MLB’s top sluggers, back when he was with the Texas Rangers. He reached 40 home runs in 2017 and 2018, and very nearly hit the mark again in 2021 when he led the American League in walks.
