MINNEAPOLIS -- Joey Gallo was back in the Rangers lineup Sunday, after being pulled due to hamstring soreness a day earlier.

Gallo is also back in the same place he was a year ago at this time.

His batting average, on-base percentage and walk rates are all almost identical. The biggest difference: Both his slugging and strikeout rate are down. It is all part of the process.

Gallo, who will be checked by Dr. Keith Meister on Monday over some persistent left hamstring soreness, is trying to stick to a plan of hitting the ball more the opposite way. According to fangraphs, Gallo is hitting the ball the opposite way 29 percent this year vs. 24 percent last year, but they have not produced hits. To do so, he's sacrificed power. He remains confident that a second-half, across-the-board surge is around the corner.

"I'm happy with my approach," he said Sunday. "The results haven't been there; balls haven't found holes. Eventually they will. I feel like I'm definitely trying to hit the ball to the middle of the field more. I'm still walking a decent amount. I chased a little bit too much early, but I'm trying to get back to a [disciplined] approach."

Gallo was hitless in three at-bats Sunday with a pair of strikeouts. For the year, he is hitting .192 with a .290 OBP through the Rangers first 79 games. He is walking at a rate of 11.2 percent and striking out once every 2.39 at-bats.

Compare that to the same point last year: A .192 batting average, .298 OBP, a walk rate of 12 percent and a strikeout every 2.23 at-bats.

The biggest difference is related to slugging: He has two fewer homers (18) than a year ago (20). And his slugging percentage is at .436, 70 points lower than a year ago.

"I like where he is with his approach right now," manager Jeff Banister said. "He is in a place where he feels good with it."

Gallo may also be struggling with power due to the hamstring issue. He had an anti-inflammatory injection in mid-April and said that gave him relief for about six weeks. Since about June 1, the soreness has been nagging. He is hitting only .123 for the month with four extra-base hits. Last June, he hit .162, but had 10 extra base hits.

Twitter: @Evan_P_Grant