This is what Joey Gallo was thinking as he circled the bases after hitting a 447-foot home run, ending his rough start to the 2024 season: “Thank goodness. I did something positive.”
And this is what his new manager, Dave Martinez, exclaimed in the dugout after the ball sailed over the fence swiftly Wednesday night, leading to a 5-3 win for Washington against the previously undefeated Pittsburgh Pirates: “Oh, Absolutely!”
Gallo had entered the day without a hit in 12 at-bats but turned things around by going 3-for-4, including the mammoth solo homer in the second inning, a double in the third, and a single in the seventh.
His contributions were part of a 10-hit effort for the Nationals, who came into the game with a 1-3 record, but now have a chance to win the three-game series against Pittsburgh with a victory in the finale on Thursday.
“At the start of the season, you want to perform well, so if things don’t go your way, it can be tough. But you keep at it and don’t let a rough start get you down,” said Gallo, a 30-year-old first baseman who joined the Washington Nationals on a one-year, $5 million deal in the offseason.
“I didn’t feel like I was in a slump or anything,” he added, shrugging his shoulders with both hands in his jeans pockets. “It just seemed like things weren’t clicking for me.”
Gallo batted .177 with 21 home runs, 40 RBIs, and 142 strikeouts for the Minnesota Twins last season, his ninth in the majors. It was his fourth consecutive season batting below .200, but he also had an All-Star year in 2021 with 38 homers. His next home run will mark his 200th career homer.
“We know he’s got immense power, and we were all hoping it would come through eventually,” said second baseman Luis García Jr., who tied a Nationals single-game record with three doubles on Wednesday, speaking through an interpreter.
“Fortunately, tonight, he showcased it, and it made a significant difference. I was genuinely happy for him — and it helped ease the tension for the team.” Indeed, Gallo’s eyes lit up, along with his smile, when asked about his teammates’ reaction after he connected with an 89 mph pitch from Pirates starter Mitch Keller, sending it over the right-center wall.
“They were pumped,” said Gallo, who bats left-handed. “We genuinely have great team chemistry. … They were genuinely happy for me. That always lifts your spirits.” Before his home run, Washington was trailing 2-0.
