Every year, or at least every year since 2012, we’ve taken some time after the season was over to look at the past 162 games through the lens of the players that played them (and the management that was in charge of them). Last year, the Exit Interview series spent less time digging into splits and finding numerical oddities and more time reflecting on the player and their season. It was a style that seemed to work so we’re going to bring it back again this year. The legendary cardinalsgifs is back to bring us excellent series art, so it’s all downhill after you see that!
Player: Giovanny Gallegos
Stats: 2-1, 1 SV, 21 G, 20.2 IP, 24 H, 6 HR, 10 BB, 21 K, 6.53 ERA, 6.36 FIP, 1.645 WHIP, -0.3 bWAR
Statcast: 9.5% barrel, 30.2% sweet spot, 107.0 max exit velocity, .409 wOBA, .328 xwOBA, 22.3 K%, 10.6 BB
Grade: F
Do you remember when Gallegos came over from the Yankees and almost immediately was the best high leverage guy the Cards had? I remember how many times he got out of bases-loaded situations without allowing anything. Mike Shildt would bring him into those sort of situations. Gallegos was focused and effective, but the warning signs had been there for a while. His home run rate significantly increased in 2022 and 2023. His walk rate increased except for ’23, when it dropped but his hard hit rate was one of the worst in the league. We discussed on the podcasts after the ’22 season that Gallegos seemed to be a ripe candidate for being non-tendered. Instead, John Mozeliak signed him to a two-year extension that, while not egregious, wound up being almost entirely wasted money.
It all came to a head this season. Gallegos struggled early, went on the IL, and then after giving up five runs in four AAA innings returned to the big leagues. He actually pitched better between that return and the eventual DFA, but it was really too little too late and he was released to make room for trades after the deadline. He wound up signing with the Twins but stayed in their minor leagues the rest of the season, where he posted a 4.26 ERA over 12.2 innings, walking 10 while striking out eight.
What’s in store for 2025: It seems that Gallegos outlasted Luke Voit, who spent 2024 playing independent ball in Mexico. There’s an option for 2025 in his contract which apparently the Cardinals still have to deal with since nobody assumed the contract and that’s an easy $500K buyout. Gallegos is 33 and so probably would get some sort of minor league invite to spring training but I’d guess it’s with a non-contender and still only a 50/50 shot of him actually returning to the bigs.
