Zac Gallen gives up four runs in loss to Padres

He’s likely to go on the IL, with Mitch Bratt being called up to start in his place against the Dodgers. Gallen is just 3-9 with a 6.34 ERA through 19 starts this season. He’s been even worse while losing each of his last four starts, posting a 9.67 ERA and striking out just 11 in 22 1/3 innings. He’s on a one-year, $22.05 million contract after struggling to find a multiyear deal in free agency last winter.

Gallen getting released by the D-backs when Michael Soroka comes off the IL has to be on the table at this point. He just isn’t showing MLB-quality stuff right now, and there’s nothing to suggest it’s about to change. Through 19 starts, Gallen has given up 116 hits versus 56 strikeouts. He’s surrendered 17 homers in 92 innings. In 2022, he gave up 15 in exactly twice as many innings (184). His velocity hasn’t changed much, so maybe there’s still hope for a turnaround. Still, this is a Triple-A pitcher right now. He’s due to face the Padres next.

Gallen, who failed to strike out a batter on Friday, ran into trouble early in this one. A walk to Yandy Díaz in the first inning was followed by him hitting Jonathan Aranda with a pitch to put runners on first and second. In the next at-bat, Gallen was taken 455 feet to center field by Junior Caminero to give the Rays a 3-1 lead before Gallen could record an out. Gallen would get through the next five innings without allowing a run, but was hit around again in the seventh inning, allowing a solo homer to Cedric Mullins while also giving RBI hits to Días and Aranda. The righty continues to struggle as he now falls to 3-7 on the season and finds himself sitting on a 6.15 ERA at the end of June. He’ll look to turn things around in his next start, which is scheduled for Wednesday against the Giants.

The game will be made up on July 23. Expect Thursday’s scheduled starters — Michael McGreevy and Zac Gallen — to pitch on Friday for their respective ballclubs.

Remember how some pundits thought it was a good idea to give Gallen a multiyear deal as a free agent over the winter? The warning signs were all obvious, and he’s 3-6 with a 6.10 ERA through 16 starts this year. The D-backs have to stick with him after losing two of their other starters to the IL, but only a modest rebound should be expected at this point. He’ll make his next start Thursday in St. Louis.

Gallen struck out four and walked two, allowing two homers as the Diamondbacks went on to win 5-3. JJ Bleday and Noelvi Marte each tagged him for a solo shot on the afternoon. The right-hander re-signed with Arizona on a one-year deal this past offseason and will become a free agent again after the year. His next outing comes at home against the Twins.

There was a little speculation that the D-backs might be ready to DFA Gallen after he struggled against the Dodgers last time out. It seemed like reach then and it’s probably still a reach now, but it’s just hard to find optimism at this point. Gallen has a 5.43 ERA and just 48 strikeouts in 69 2/3 innings through 14 starts. He’ll face the Angels next week. which seems like good news for Mike Trout and companty.

Gallen’s K rate, which already plummeted from 25 percent in 2024 to 21.5 percent in 2025, is down to 15 percent this year, and nothing here is going to get much better unless he figures out how to turn that around. He’s sitting at 3-5 with a 5.32 ERA through 13 starts. He’ll pitch on the road against the Marlins and Reds next week, but he seems like a poor bet in mixed leagues then.

Gallen allowed three homers on the day, one to Julio Rodríguez, and two to J.P. Crawford. The 30-year-old dealt with plenty of trouble outside of those home runs, as he allowed eight hits, walked one and only struck out two. Gallen continues to be shaky at best in 2026, and this mediocre outing — at best — pushes his ERA to 5.16 on the campaign. He could have a hard time bouncing back against the loaded Dodger lineup in his next scheduled outing.

Gallen struck out six against two walks. He gave up a pair of runs in the fourth and another in the sixth in an otherwise solid — if unspectacular —outing for the right-hander. Gallen wasn’t quite as good as his six-inning, two-run effort Monday against the Giants, but there were some positive signs for the 30-year-old for most of the outing. The Mariners next for Gallen in Seattle on Friday.