Joey Gallo's first stop in the majors is only supposed to be for a cup of coffee: Adequately replace Adrian Beltre for a few weeks, get in some MLB cuts and go back down to the minors an improved player.
If his debut is any indication, Gallo has no interest in following that plan.
The Texas Rangers prospect went 3-for-4, hitting a third-inning home run off Jeff Samardzija and driving in four runs as Texas defeated the Chicago White Sox, 15-2, Tuesday night. Gallo finished the game a triple shy of the cycle and set a franchise record for RBI in a player's debut.
Shin-Soo Choo and Carlos Corporan also hit home runs as every Rangers player who made a plate appearance recorded at least one hit. Texas pelted Samardzija for nine runs in five innings and finished with 19 hits overall.
One of the top prospects in baseball—Baseball America ranks him sixth among all players—Gallo's debut electrified a fanbase in Arlington that's been hearing plenty of feel-good stories lately. Josh Hamilton's return to the lineup drenched the club with attention, and his walk-off double Sunday was one of the more organically thrilling moments of 2015.
Gallo's debut, however, was on an entirely different level.
Globe Life Park was abnormally packed for a Tuesday night, with fans flocking to the field hoping to see their next star make an instant impact. Gallo started out with a bang, singling to center in the first inning to score Prince Fielder and Mitch Moreland for the game's first two runs. He later scored on a Leonys Martin single.
That proved but a mere prelude to the third inning, when Gallo sent Samardzija's first offering into the right field seats for a two-run homer. The blast went into the upper deck and measured in at 418 feet. He is the first Ranger since Jurickson Profar in 2012 to homer in his first game, per ESPN Stats & Information.
With Samardzija surprisingly still in the game two innings later, Gallo took his MLB career numbers to 3-for-3 with a double to deep right field. He wound up stranded on second but got two more at-bats as he went for the cycle.
Unfortunately, that's the one area where Gallo came up a little bit short.
Dan Jennings handed the rookie his first MLB strikeout in the sixth inning, and Hector Noesi walked him in the eighth. Overall, Gallo's first impression was one of the best in recent history. ESPN Stats & Info noted he was the first player since 1999 to have at least three hits, a homer and four RBI in his debut.
The performance continued an excellent 2015 for Gallo, who hit .314/.425/.636 with nine home runs and 31 RBI in Double-A Frisco. Texas is planning on sending him to Triple-A whenever Beltre returns from the disabled list.
"Whether I do good or bad, the plan is to go to Triple-A when it's time, and I'm really happy about that," Gallo said before the game, per Jean-Jacques Taylor of ESPN Dallas. "Of course, if it happens that I'm playing well and the team is playing well, maybe it won't happen, but I know the plan."
Knowing the plan and adhering to it are two entirely different stories.
The likelihood the Rangers would replace Beltre with Gallo in Wally Pipp style is low, but it's not zero. Beltre, though one of the best players of his generation, is 36 years old and off to his worst start since arriving in Texas. He's also only under contract through next season, so it's not impossible to envision a scenario where the Rangers toss his name around in trade talks.
But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Gallo's been in the major leagues for a couple of hours longer than the fans who were watching him. He also has a disconcertingly high strikeout rate, which is a trait that doesn't suddenly improve when you start facing the best pitchers in the world.
Odds are by the time Beltre returns, all involved will acknowledge Gallo needs a bit more time in the minors to fine-tune some aspects of his game.
For one night, though, Gallo looked like the next big star in a sport bursting with young talent.
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