Zac Gallen DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen looked untouchable on Wednesday, striking out 13 batters over 6 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.

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen had a respectable outing in Thursday's spring training matchup against the Athletics. He threw 4 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.

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander 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.

The Arizona Diamondbacks avoided salary arbitration with right-hander 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.

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen tossed six innings of one-run ball in Wednesday's 8-2 victory over the Giants, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out a season-high 11 batters on the way to earning his 14th win of the season. The 29-year-old has had another solid, albeit somewhat inconsistent, season for the D-backs, as he allowed one run or less in 13 of 28 starts but four runs or more on seven occasions. Nevertheless, the righty finishes the regular season on a high note and leaves his team one game up on the Braves for the final Wild Card spot with three games to go against the Padres. The former All-Star closes the 2024 regular season at 14-6 with a 3.65 ERA (3.86 SIERA), 1.26 WHIP, and a 16.4% K-BB%.