“I wake up, check my phone, and see what team I’m playing for that day, and hopefully, it’s Texas.”

Those were the words from Rangers outfielder Joey Gallo before Tuesday’s contest against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The rumors swirling around Joey feel like I’m back in High School again with rumors of who is dating who. For Joey, his mindset is straightforward: just ignore it.

“It’s easy because I just delete the rumors.” However, the verbal interactions with everyday people make the trade rumors harder to ignore. “I’m driving to the field today, and I stop, and the guy mentions it. The chiropractor today I went to, he mentions it. The guy who makes my suits he texts me and mentions it. It’s harder to forget when everyone mentions it, but it’s not that tough. I’ve been there before.”

It’s an eerie feeling because Rangers fans have been here before. Joey Gallo’s name reached the top of the rumor mill the past few seasons, but each time he’s stuck with the Rangers. Everyone focuses on Joey being a massive target because he has an extra year of control left on his contract, which can work for the Rangers as trade partners and keeping him. “I have a whole year left [on my contract],” Joey said. “We can talk contract whenever for another year. I can get traded in the winter. I can get traded next season.”

There’s currently no traction in Joey Gallo contract talks. So trade talks continue. Blue Jays, Yankees and perhaps Red Sox are among possibilities. Hard to see Padres squeezing him in at this point but they are a hard team to predict.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 27, 2021

As for Joey’s struggles post-break, the trade talks aren’t affecting him. “I don’t really care about anything else going on,” Joey said. Heading into Tuesday night, Gallo was two for his last thirty at the plate (.067) and walked two times since the All Star Break. On the other side, Joey struck out sixteen times in that span. Does participating in the home run derby causing the effect? Joey Gallo told me the derby has nothing to do with it either. “It’s the wrong place and wrong time,” Gallo told me. Joey’s home cooking came clean with two more outfield assists and a three-run home run Tuesday against the Diamondbacks.

The passion Joey showed Tuesday shows again that he wants to stay in Texas. “I like Texas a lot. It’s a great place. I love living here. I’ve been a Texas Ranger my whole career, and it’s hard to envision myself being something else. It’s almost scary.”

On the other hand, he doesn’t want to undervalue himself, and if the best thing to progress Joey Gallo’s career and value him is going somewhere else, then it has to be done. Speaking of High School analogies, Joey said it felt like changing schools in high school. “It’s like you’re at high school and a certain school, and your parents tell you that you might move. You’re like [expletive]. I know everybody. That’s how I feel about here.”

It’s also about wanting to stay in Texas for the fans. He wants to bring a championship to Arlington. “I really freaking care about the fans. I came up with the fans. I want to win here for the fans,” Joey said. The Rangers are down to a few days in what they want to do with Joey Gallo. Will Joey be in person for Joey Gallo Gold Glove Bobblehead night on Saturday, or will the Rangers have to ship the bobblehead to his apartment?

.@JoeyGallo24 now has 6 OF assists in his last 10 games defensively. pic.twitter.com/iphHF1ZgzK

— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) July 28, 2021

#JoeyJack counter: 2̶4̶ 25 pic.twitter.com/FmTGNurkmg

— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) July 28, 2021