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Gallo still thinks about Rangers: 'I cried a lot' after Yankees trade

Dustin Satloff / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Joey Gallo's time with the Texas Rangers is still fresh on his mind, and he recently said being traded to the New York Yankees brought him to tears.

"It was emotional for sure," Gallo said on Monday, according to MLB.com's Kennedi Landry. "It still is. I was making sure I had all my stuff and I cried a lot."

The Yankees acquired the 27-year-old and left-hander Joely Rodriguez from the Rangers in exchange for a four-player prospect package on July 29.

The trade shocked the slugger, who had made it known he wanted to stay with the Rangers even though they're rebuilding. His representation was reportedly involved in extension talks with Texas prior to the trade.

"That was my home for 10 years, I think about it a lot," Gallo said. The Rangers drafted him in 2012.

"I'm still getting used to just living here, being with a new organization and whatnot," he continued. "The Yankees have made the transition as easy as possible for me. I'm really appreciative of that. But like I said, I've spent my whole life in Texas since I was 18. It wasn't an easy thing for me to do.”

Gallo added he doesn't hold any hard feelings toward the Rangers, and playing for a contender in New York is exciting, even though Yankees fans have booed him a lot more than the veteran is used to because of his struggles at the plate. The two-time All-Star owns a .162/.309/.435 slash line with 12 homers and 72 strikeouts since arriving in the Bronx.

"I enjoy playing here, but it's a different market than Texas for sure," Gallo said. "They want you to win, win, win. The pressures and the expectations are high, but it's exciting."

"Nobody's excited to get booed, but it's part of this," he noted. "In Texas, you aren't getting booed like that. But when we're winning games in New York, it's amazing and there's no better feeling."

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