Yanks, Jays, Padres talking Gallo, per report

MLB Trade Rumors: The New York Yankees have talked about a Joey Gallo deal with the Texas Rangers, with the San Diego Padres and the Toronto Blue Jays also talking to the Rangers about Gallo, per Jon Morosi on Twitter.

With the trade deadline three days away, Gallo is the most attractive position player potentially available, offering buyers a middle of the order hitter with game-changing power and high quality defense in the outfield. Gallo also is under team control through 2022, which means he isn’t simply a rental.

However, the Yankees and Jays are each essentially fighting for one Wild Card spot — New York is 9.5 games back of Boston for first place in the American League East and 8 games back of the Tampa Bay Rays, while the Blue Jays are 10.5 and 9 games back. Fangraphs gives each of them a 2-3% chance of winning the division, with the Yankees having a roughly 1 in 3 chance of claiming a Wild Card spot, and the Jays having a 1 in 4 chance. The odds would increase if either acquired Gallo, though it would still be an uphill battle.

As for San Diego, they appear likely to make the postseason at this point — Fangraphs has their odds at 91.3% — but they are 5.5 games back of the San Francisco Giants, who are leading the N.L. West, and are 3.5 games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They have a better chance with Gallo than without him, and the Padres haven’t been afraid to expend prospect currency to land stars, but their current situation may have them less inclined to go big at this point.

Gallo may not be traded at all, of course...he’s expressed a desire to stay in Texas, and the Rangers are, finally, reportedly engaging on a possible extension. The Rangers’ asking price for Gallo has been extremely high, and if no one overwhelms them, I’m guessing they pass on dealing him and try to work out a long term deal instead.