Rangers' Gallo records 1st career sac fly in 1,337th plate appearance
Joey Gallo made history without reaching base.
The Texas Rangers slugger recorded his first career sacrifice fly in his 1,337th plate appearance during Sunday's game against the Houston Astros.
It took 1,337 plate appearances, but Joey Gallo finally hit a sac fly. The only position player with more PAs before their first SF was Steve Sax (1,388).
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) April 21, 2019
h/t: @Kurkjian_ESPN pic.twitter.com/zZBABEC5gt
Gallo received a hero's welcome after returning to the dugout, and he even mimicked a home-run celebration.
HE DID IT! @JoeyGallo24 hits his first career sac fly after 1337 career plate appearances with the @Rangers.#TogetherWe pic.twitter.com/l9MwWC5VFz
— FOX Sports Southwest (@FOXSportsSW) April 21, 2019
The 25-year-old needed the third-most plate appearances in baseball history before logging his first sacrifice fly. Among position players, only Steve Sax (1,388) went longer without one. Pitcher Greg Maddux appeared at the plate 1,405 times before his first sac fly, according to ESPN's Tim Kurkjian.
Additionally, Gallo set another record with his 96 career homers before a sac fly, per Kurkjian.
There have been four seasons in #MLB history featuring a player hitting 40+ HR without recording a sac fly. Joey Gallo is responsible for two of those.
— Jared Sandler (@JaredSandler) April 21, 2019
Mark Trumbo (2016): 47 HR
Adam Dunn (2004): 46 HR
JOEY GALLO (2017): 41 HR
JOEY GALLO (2018): 40 HR
Gallo is off to a fantastic start in 2019. Sunday's two-hit performance boosted his slash line to .281/.382/.734 with eight homers, 22 RBIs, and a 179 wRC+ through 18 games.