Texas Rangers prospect Joey Gallo will reportedly be forced to miss nearly a month with a groin injury.
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MRI Reveals Mild Strain
Tuesday, May 3
Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram shared the MRI results on Gallo’s left groin and confirmed he will miss three to four weeks. Stevenson noted Gallo dealt with the same type of injury in 2013, but it was on his right side.
According to Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News, Triple-A Round Rock placed Gallo on the seven-day disabled list on Sunday before the full extent of the injury was known.
Gallo did not make the Rangers roster during spring training, but Townsend said the outfielder and third baseman has drilled seven home runs already in the minor leagues this season. His trademark power is why he is such a highly regarded prospect, and it was on full display last year when he played for the Rangers.
Gallo only appeared in 36 games for Texas in 2015 and hit .204, but he connected with six home runs, including one off dominant Los Angeles Dodgers southpaw Clayton Kershaw:
Gallo was responsible for an offensive WAR of 0.4 in 2015, per ESPN.com, and has a bright future ahead of him as a 22-year-old slugger.
MLB.com ranked him as the Rangers’ No. 1 prospect coming into the 2016 campaign because of his “off-the-charts raw power” that helped him lead the minor leagues with 40 home runs in 2013 and finish in second in 2014 with 42 long balls.
There has to be some relief within the organization that the strain is only “mild,” but Gallo’s long-term future is critical for the franchise. The Rangers will likely treat the recovery process accordingly and make sure he is fully healthy before he returns to the field.
His overall health is far more important than rushing him back, especially since he hasn’t even appeared at the major league level yet this season.
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