I know, I know that sounds like a terrible option for the Miami Marlins. That said, let's be realistic. Will the Miami Marlins actually outbid other teams for top of the market Designated Hitters? It's definitely realistic for Peter Bendix to give both J.D. Martinez and Justin Turner offers, but will some other team simply overpay? Will Bendix continue the Tampa Bay Rays strategy of trades and quiet signings that end up working out? My money is on the last two.
This brings me to Joey Gallo. Yes, he sounds terrible. The 1B/OF batted just .177/.301/.440, with 21 home runs and 40 RBI, in 111 games and 282 AB. The batting average has been terrible, but the 21 home runs in 282 AB is pretty impressive. He still had a very good 92.7 Exit Velocity and a high 41.4 FB%. He strikes out way too much however, with a 42.8% last season and a career 37.9%.
Joey Gallo has never hit well for average. He has a career .197 batting average. That said, he used to be a 40 home run hitter. He hit 41 in 2017, 40 in 2018 and 38 in 2021. If he can fix his strikeout issues, he may be quite useful in 2024. The best parts about him are his being 30 years old and the fact that he will likely be very cheap. 1 year/$8 million may well be enough to sign him.