The risk-it side of Zac Gallen won out.
Gallen said he turned down multi-year offers in his foray into the free-agent marketplace this past winter to return to the Arizona Diamondbacks on a one-year deal, in part, to “prove my worth again,” he said.
His first home appearance this season will be a tester when Gallen faces two-time reigning American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal as the Diamondbacks look to sweep a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday afternoon in Phoenix.
Skubal (1-0, 0.00 ERA) gave up three hits and an unearned run in an 8-2 victory at San Diego on Opening Day. He struck out six Padres and did not walk a batter.
“I definitely see dominance,” Tigers infielder Colt Keith said of Skubal. “He’s got the stuff to go up there and throw whatever he wants, and guys don’t really hit it.
“He”s obviously been the best in the game the last two years. He’s looking to make it a third, and we’re all here for him.”
Whatever happens, Skubal and Gallen have a hard act to follow.
Arizona rookie third baseman Jose Fernandez became the seventh player in modern major league history (since 1900) to hit two homers in his first game, and his three-run shot on a 1-1 cutter from Kenley Jansen capped a six-run eighth inning for a 7-5 win on Tuesday.
“I know what kind of career he’s had,” Fernandez said through an interpreter about Jensen. “The reason I’m here is that I can compete against those type of pitchers.”
Gallen, who finished in the top five of the National League Cy Young voting in 2022 and 2023, said receiving multi-year offers “was nice from a security standpoint, but I felt like I’ve always kind of bet on myself.
“I think I felt like I owed it to myself, owed to my family, even owed it to the organization … like, come back, have a good year, and kind of prove my worth again and get that little added extra motivation.”
Gallen, who makes Phoenix home, agreed to a one-year, $22.025 million contract, the same amount as the qualifying offer that he turned down to test a tight-ish free-agent market that was more rewarding for hitters.
Gallen had, by most metrics, his least productive season in 2025, when he was 13-15 with a career-high 4.83 ERA while giving up career highs in homers (31) and walks (66) in 192 innings.
Arizona manager Torey Lovullo, who has been with Gallen since he was acquired in a 2019 trade that sent Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the Miami Marlins, said he has seen a different pitcher.
“Zac has come out with a different attitude this year,” Lovullo said. “He’s come out with a little bit of an edginess to him. ”
Gallen touched 96 mph twice while cruising through four scoreless innings in first start of the season on Thursday before giving up four runs, including an Andy Pages three-run homer in the fifth inning, in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 8-2 victory.
“He’s not working into his velocity. He’s throwing his best pitch on the first pitch of the game,” Lovullo said. “That’s something he’s really done a good job with.”
Gallen has made two career starts against the Tigers, going 0-1 with a 5.84 ERA. Skubal has faced Arizona once, giving up one hit in six shutout innings of a 13-0 victory in Phoenix in 2024.
–Field Level Media
