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TAMPA — Joey Gallo wants a do-over.
After a rough start to his Yankees tenure following a midseason trade from Texas, Gallo is in his first spring training camp with the Yankees and insists he’s happy to be there and will be able to make it work.
“There were things I could have done differently and adjustments I could have made, on the field and off the field, getting used to New York,’’ Gallo said Sunday. “New York is a beast in itself, let alone to play in.”
He hit .160 following the midseason trade and never seemed to get comfortable playing under the bright lights in The Bronx.
Gallo expects that to change after some offseason reflection.
“I went home to regroup and think it over, and I started to get really happy two weeks into the offseason,’’ Gallo said. “I can’t wait to play here again. If I didn’t get to go back and play another season here, it would wear on me pretty bad.”
There has been speculation that the Yankees could move on from Gallo, but the organization has stood by him and he’s expected to be the starting left fielder.
“I’m excited to go back and prove who I am and let the fans see me for 162 games, not 60 games,’’ Gallo said. “I’m excited for the challenge. There’s nowhere else I want to be but here. And I mean that.”
He just hopes it goes better in his first full season as a Yankee.
“As a player, whether in Texas or New York, I want to play well,’’ said Gallo, who admitted he didn’t play well as a Yankee last season.
“It was wearing on me. It doesn’t matter where I am, but it is different here. It’s a lot different than Texas. Everything is more magnified here. We’re on TV a lot more. We have a bigger fan base. It’s the Yankees.”
Gallo said he tried to change his mindset after he got back to Texas following the wild-card loss in Boston.
“I was able to relax a little bit,’’ Gallo said. “I thought it over and knew I had to make adjustments in my head. Playing in Texas is so much different than New York. Now I appreciate it more. It’s a great opportunity.”
Gallo started in left field Sunday, where he made a nice running catch down the line to end the top of the first, and struck out looking twice in the 8-7 loss to the Tigers at Steinbrenner Field.
He’s hoping for a better experience on the field and with the fan base this time around.
“I would like the fans to want me around,’’ Gallo said. “I’m not looking at social media or reading articles, because I know I’m getting cooked a lot. But I heard what the fans said when I was on the field. I get it. I knew I wasn’t playing well.”
But he stressed again he’s a streaky hitter and while he’d like to get the average up, that’s not his strength — which general manager Brian Cashman understands.
“He knows I’m not a .300 hitter,’’ Gallo said. “I’m a slugger. I walk a lot, I strike out a lot and I hit a lot of home runs. There are gonna be some ups and downs.”
The Yankees and Gallo are looking for more ups in 2022.
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