Zac Gallen Pitches Well In Spring Debut
Zac Gallen (shoulder) had a promising outing in his Spring Training debut on Wednesday. He pitched 2 2/3 innings and allowed one hit, no walks and no runs while striking out two. He utilized each of his pitches and his velocity was solid on each. He was hitting 94-95 mph on his fastball. Gallen has been behind schedule this spring as he's dealt with right shoulder bursitis. He will miss his first start of the year, which would have come during the team's second game of the season, but he may wind up making his first start just a few days later. Gallen threw 36 pitches in Wednesday's outing and also added nine more pitches in the bullpen to continue working his way up to game form.
Source: Jack Sommers
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Source: Jack Sommers
Zac Gallen Strikes Out 13
Zac Gallen looked untouchable on Wednesday, striking out 13 batters over 6 ⅔ shutout innings in a 4-3 win against the Yankees. The Yankees and their torpedo bats have gained a lot of attention over the recent days, but the bats don't matter if they don't make contact. Gallen collected 24 whiffs on the night for a whiff rate of 57%. His knuckle curveball was the most effective of his pitches, collecting 13 whiffs all on its own. He'll look to carry this momentum into his next start, currently lined up to be against the Orioles.
Source: MLB.com
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Source: MLB.com
Zac Gallen Solid On Thursday Against The Athletics
Zac Gallen had a respectable outing in Thursday's spring training matchup against the Athletics. He threw 4 ⅓ innings, allowing five hits, two walks, two strikeouts, and one earned run. It was nothing flashy, but it was a good outing he can build off of, as Opening Day is less than a week away. Gallen has already been named the team's Opening Day starter for next Thursday, March 27, against the Chicago Cubs. Last season, Gallen saw a bit of a dip in production as his 3.47 ERA in 2023 rose to 3.65 in 2025. Gallen's strikeout rate also fell to a career-low 25.1%. Nonetheless, Gallen is a proven starter in the MLB. He should provide fantasy managers with a productive season, even with the D-backs bringing on Corbin Burnes during the off-season.
Source: ESPN
Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Source: ESPN
Zac Gallen To Start On Opening Day For Diamondbacks
Zac Gallen will be the team's Opening Day starter next Thursday, March 27, against the Chicago Cubs, according to MLB.com's Steve Gilbert. It's a bit of a surprise that the D-backs didn't go with offseason acquisition Corbin Burnes, but instead they'll roll with the 29-year-old Gallen for the third straight year on Opening Day. Gallen has a little pressure off of him at the top of Arizona's rotation now that Burnes is in tow. He's not a fantasy ace by any means, but he makes for a solid No. 3 fantasy starter and should be rolled out there in his first start of the year against the Cubs. Gallen's strikeout rate fell to a career-low 25.1%, but he's notorious for being one of the best strike-throwers in the game. It seems unlikely that Gallen will ever be a fantasy ace again like he was in 2022, but you could do a lot worse as your SP2 or SP3.
Source: MLB.com - Steve Gilbert
Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Source: MLB.com - Steve Gilbert
Diamondbacks Avoid Arbitration With Zac Gallen
Zac Gallen on Thursday by settling on a one-year, $13.5 million deal. In addition to Gallen, the D-backs also agreed to one-year deals with right-handers Kevin Ginkel and Ryan Thompson, left-handers Joe Mantiply, Kyle Nelson and A.J. Puk, and infielders Josh Naylor, Geraldo Perdomo and Pavin Smith. The 29-year-old Gallen will be Arizona's No. 2 starter in 2025 after they signed Corbin Burnes in free agency. Gallen missed time with a hamstring injury in 2024 and finished with a 3.65 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 156 strikeouts and 54 walks in 148 innings pitched. He's a very strong major-league pitcher but comes short of being an elite fantasy ace because of his 26.6% career strikeout rate. Gallen needs to return to his pinpoint control of the strike zone to deliver value as a second fantasy starting pitcher.
Source: Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks avoided salary arbitration with right-hander Source: Arizona Diamondbacks
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