Zac Gallen believes the Arizona Diamondbacks still have what it takes to get back to the World Series this season.
Gallen is set to take the mound on Sunday afternoon against the host Cincinnati Reds in the finale of their three-game series.
Arizona came into the series riding a four-game winning streak but now will try to avoid getting swept after losing the rain-suspended opener 4-3 in 10 innings and then getting run over 13-1 on Saturday afternoon.
The Diamondbacks learned this week that they will have to go the rest of the season without one of their best starting pitchers, right-hander Corbin Burnes, who is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery after leaving his start last Sunday.
“We went to the World Series with a team very similar to this,” Gallen said. “I feel like this team definitely has more talent. A little bit more maturity, too.”
Gallen (4-7, 5.13 ERA) helped the Diamondbacks reach the 2023 World Series by going 17-9 during the regular season with a 3.47 ERA. Gallen finished third in National League Cy Young Award voting.
The right-hander went 14-6 with a 3.65 ERA last season but has yet to get his record over .500 through 13 starts this season.
Gallen delivered one of his better efforts of the season in his most recent outing last Tuesday, holding the Atlanta Braves to three runs (one earned) and four hits in seven innings of an 8-3 win, snapping a four-start winless streak.
“Just try to make them beat me instead of beat myself,” Gallen said.
Gallen threw 65 of his 89 pitches for strikes, which were the second-most strikes in a game for him this season and the second-fewest pitches.
“Just a little bit better command,” Gallen said. “Just tried to stay in attack mode a little bit more.”
Gallen has made four starts against the Reds in his career and is 1-1 with a 2.96 ERA in 24 1/3 innings.
The Reds plan to start right-hander Brady Singer in the series finale.
Singer (6-4, 4.66) has won both his starts against the Diamondbacks in his career, accruing a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings. He last faced them on April 25, 2023 while playing for the Kansas City Royals, holding Arizona to one run and five hits in six innings of a 5-4 win in Phoenix.
Singer most recently took a loss after allowing three runs and four hits in five innings of a 3-2 home defeat against the Milwaukee Brewers last Monday.
“I just need to attack hitters more in the fourth and the fifth,” Singer said. “I knew the pitch count was getting up, and (I) wanted to give the bullpen a chance. Obviously, get through at least five (innings) there with the pitch count. I stayed on the attack the last two innings, and that’s what I should have done all game.”
Singer was stung by a solo home run by Christian Yelich in the third inning, which gave Milwaukee a 3-2 lead. Neither team scored the rest of the way.
“Obviously, I’d like to have that one back,” Singer said. “That pitch was just trying not to get another walk there, trying to stay in the zone and throw him a pitch I can get him out on. … I just need to attack hitters more.”
–Field Level Media
