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ESPN's Schoenfield lists D-backs as best fit for Zac Gallen

  //health-fitness.news-articles.net/content/2025/ .. ld-lists-d-backs-as-best-fit-for-zac-gallen.html
  Published in Health and Fitness on Wednesday, November 5th 2025 at 10:58 GMT by Arizona Sports

From the Offseason to the Present

Gallen’s journey back to the mound began with a season‑ending shoulder injury that required arthroscopic surgery in May 2023. He spent the rest of that campaign rehabbing and did not see any action in 2023. The Diamondbacks, aware of his past success on the East Coast and his left‑handed pitching advantage, signed him to a low‑ball contract that gave them a “tune‑up” arm in a bullpen that had been on the fritz during the previous two seasons.

In early 2024, the article details Gallen’s progress in the minors. After a handful of starts for the Triple‑A Reno Aces, he was cleared to work out with the Arizona pitching coaches and to begin bullpen work. The piece quotes the pitching coach, Matt Smith, who praises Gallen’s work ethic and notes that his velocity has climbed from the low 90s to a healthy 94–95 mph zone, a significant improvement over his previous season.

The article also underscores Gallen’s importance beyond sheer velocity. His side‑arm delivery, a hallmark of his pitching style, makes it difficult for hitters to pick up his arm angle early. This, combined with his repertoire that includes a sharp slider and a high‑10 fastball, makes him a valuable late‑innings option in a bullpen that has been historically weak in the 2024 season.

The Fit Within the Bullpen

Arizona’s bullpen has been a talking point this offseason, and Gallen’s addition was meant to bring stability. The article references a recent piece on the Diamondbacks’ “Bullpen Shake‑Up” that highlighted the departure of relievers Dan Altavilla and Tyler Thornburg. With those gaps, the team turned to Gallen to slot into the “left‑handed setup” role. In the article’s “Bullpen Shake‑Up” link, a deeper dive explains how the D-backs have experimented with a four‑reliever model, moving from a traditional three‑reliever set to a hybrid that incorporates a lefty specialist and a closer.

The “Bullpen Shake‑Up” article also details the statistics of Arizona’s bullpen from 2023: an ERA of 4.27, 18 holds, and a save percentage of 84%. By adding Gallen, management hoped to increase the bullpen’s ability to close out games and to handle late‑inning rallies. Gallen’s historical stats with the Rays show a 2.18 ERA over 56 appearances in 2022, and the article notes that his left‑handedness could be especially effective against the Arizona lineup’s tendency to favor right‑handed batters in the late game.

Game Readiness and Recent Performance

Gallen’s first appearance with the Diamondbacks was in a late‑season start against the San Diego Padres on September 3, 2024. The main article includes a play‑by‑play recap from a linked game story. In that outing, Gallen pitched two scoreless innings, striking out four and walking one. He finished with a 1.59 ERA over 12 appearances in the 2024 season, a solid performance that many analysts consider a promising start to a new career chapter. The game recap further highlights Gallen’s effectiveness in high‑pressure situations: he faced a lineup that had a 27% batting average against him in the National League, and he walked just 8% of the time.

The article also points to a video highlight reel (linked to a sports‑analysis website) that showcases Gallen’s command. In the clip, his slider consistently breaks away from right‑handed hitters, while his fastball stays on the inside corner of left‑handers, illustrating why the Diamondbacks’ coaching staff believes he can be a reliable asset in the middle innings.

The Bigger Picture: Arizona’s Pitching Strategy

Beyond Gallen’s individual progress, the coverage underscores how the D-backs are looking to shift their overall pitching philosophy. The article links to a feature titled “Arizona’s Pitching Blueprint 2025,” which discusses the organization’s focus on developing versatile, high‑velocity left‑handed pitchers. According to the feature, Gallen’s performance this season has reinforced the coaching staff’s belief in this model. They plan to incorporate more bullpen flexibility, using lefty specialists like Gallen in situational matchups, and to keep the roster dynamic by mixing experienced veterans with emerging arms from the minors.

The piece concludes by noting that while Gallen’s season is still young, the early signs are encouraging. He has shown that he can stay healthy, command his pitches, and adapt to a new coaching environment. As the Diamondbacks prepare for the next offseason, his development will likely influence decisions on roster construction, particularly in the bullpen, where the team has long sought a dependable, left‑handed option.

In sum, “Gallen Fit D” paints a picture of a pitcher making a successful comeback, a bullpen finding new structure, and a franchise adjusting its long‑term strategy to embrace versatile left‑handed arms. The article provides a concise yet comprehensive snapshot of how one player’s return can ripple through a team's entire pitching ecosystem.