Brian Cashman ‘not worried’ about Yankees’ Joey Gallo despite awful start

Despite poor results in The Bronx since arriving last July, Joey Gallo still has a believer in general manager Brian Cashman.

“I’m not worried about Joey Gallo,” Cashman said before the Yankees faced the Blue Jays on Wednesday at the Stadium.

“He’s a really talented player and cares a great deal,” Cashman said. “He has a chance every time he’s at the plate to change whatever’s happened prior.”

Entering Wednesday, when Gallo was back in left field, he had a .166 average and .682 OPS as a Yankee after arriving with a .211 average and .833 OPS in seven seasons in Texas.

So far this season, Gallo is reaching base less than ever (.293 OBP) and his power has decreased (.324 slugging percentage).

Cashman added he’s encouraged by how well the Yankees are doing without a lot of production from Gallo, who he said has “a lot of gas in the tank in terms of contributions I think is still there to be had.”

And he pointed to his current manager, Aaron Boone, as an example of how a narrative can change quickly.

Boone came to the Yankees in the middle of an All-Star year with Cincinnati in 2003 and slumped for much of the rest of the regular season.

In the middle of a rough postseason, though, Boone hit his famous home run off Boston’s Tim Wakefield in Game 7 of the ALCS to send the Yankees to the World Series.

“Boone really struggled, but he’s gonna be remembered in history for one swing of the bat,” Cashman said. “Gallo is helping us defensively and offensively he can help with a key walk. There’s a lot of different ways he can contribute. And there’s still a hell of a lot of time on the clock for him to contribute in one big game, in one big series or a floodgate, avalanche of success. He’s certainly capable of it… Over time, I certainly think he’ll find that higher ground on a consistent basis.”