Diamondbacks Place Zac Gallen on Injured List
The Arizona Diamondbacks have announced that right-hander Zac Gallen has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to a right hamstring strain. In a corresponding move, fellow righty Slade Cecconi has been recalled.
Gallen, 28, started in last night’s game against the Mets but exited after just six pitches, with the club later confirming the hamstring strain. Initially, there were hopes of a mild injury, as manager Torey Lovullo mentioned on Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo show that Gallen might miss just one start without going on the IL, as reported by Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. However, the decision to place him on the IL means he will be out for at least the next two weeks.
Even a short absence for Gallen is a significant blow for the Diamondbacks. He has emerged as one of the top pitchers in baseball in recent years, with a career ERA of 3.20 over 725 innings. Since the start of 2022, Gallen has posted a 3.05 ERA, a 26.3% strikeout rate, a 6.1% walk rate, and a 43.3% ground ball rate.
Losing a pitcher of Gallen’s caliber would hurt any rotation, but it’s especially troubling for the Diamondbacks. Gallen now joins Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodríguez on the injured list. The defending National League champions have had a slow start this season, currently standing at 25-31. Climbing back into playoff contention will be challenging without these key pitchers, and neither Kelly nor Rodríguez have started their rehab assignments yet. The team will be hoping that Gallen’s absence will be brief.
In the meantime, the Diamondbacks’ rotation consists of Jordan Montgomery, Brandon Pfaadt, Ryne Nelson, Blake Walston, and Cecconi. Both Nelson and Cecconi have ERAs over 6.00, Montgomery is at 4.69, and Pfaadt at 4.16. Walston’s ERA is 2.16 but in only 8 1/3 innings. Tommy Henry is on an optional assignment, with a 5.40 ERA in the majors this year. Cristian Mena is also on the 40-man roster but has yet to make his major league debut.
The Diamondbacks will need to rely on these pitchers to step up in Gallen’s absence as they strive to overcome their early-season struggles and return to playoff form.
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