Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen (23) reacts after striking out Los Angeles Dodgers’ … [+]
Arizona Diamondbacks right-handed pitcher Zac Gallen is going home to start Game One of the 2023 National League Championship Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. He grew up in the New Jersey boroughs of Gibbsboro and Somerdale, approximately 30 minutes from Citizens Bank Park. A fan of Philadelphia’s professional basketball and football teams, Gallen’s baseball allegiance oddly belonged to the St. Louis Cardinals as an adolescent. Ironically, the Cardinals selected him in the third round of Major League Baseball’s 2016 draft with the 106th overall pick out of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Gallen’s trip back east is all about business instead of a joyous homecoming for a local ball player who has done well for himself. He is processing a myriad of emotions given the familiarity of his surroundings, unique circumstances, and costly ticket requests from family and friends. As Gallen blocks out external factors that could easily serve as a distraction, his focus remains steadfast on a routine that promotes a winning culture. In the most subtle of manners, there is an edge to Gallen as he knows nearly everyone has overlooked the Diamondbacks except for 54 ball players who were on the ball club’s 26-man roster at various points during the regular season according to Baseball-Reference.
The Diamondbacks have embraced the underdog role this postseason. Gallen has used the phrase “house money” in multiple interviews as no one expected the Diamondbacks to get past the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Wild Card Series. Before the shock ever wore off from their conquest of the Brewers, the Diamondbacks had vanquished the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series. They have yet to experience the agony of defeat this postseason with a 5-0 record.
Their recipe for success is a blend of youthful exuberance, a maturity well beyond their years, and an aggressive style of baseball. According to Baseball-Reference, the Diamondbacks are the first ball club since the Dodgers in 2008 to compete in a League Championship Series while winning 84 ball games during the regular season. In fact, the Dodgers were defeated in five games by the Phillies in the National League Championship Series who went on to win their second World Series title in franchise history.
Arizona Diamondbacks’ Zac Gallen listens to a question during a news conference before the baseball … [+]
As the Diamondbacks haven’t won a National League pennant since 2001, Gallen is striving to emulate the postseason success achieved by starting pitchers Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling. They catapulted the franchise to their sole World Series title in only four years of existence. Conversations are ending when it comes to Gallen being baseball’s best kept secret as his talent is finally receiving national praise and recognition. Fans are discovering the brilliance of Gallen as he has become a household name among elite starting pitchers in Major League Baseball.
In three career starts at Citizens Bank Park since the 2021 season, Gallen has posted 1-1 record with a 4.38 earned run average over 12.1 innings pitched while striking out 11 batters according to Baseball-Reference. On May 24th of this year, Gallen pitched 5.2 innings in Philadelphia while surrendering two earned runs with three strikeouts in a no decision performance. Over 100 pitches, Gallen incorporated a five-pitch repertoire that prominently featured the four-seam fastball and knuckle curve. The Phillies swung at 25 four-seam fastballs while fouling off 11 and putting 14 in play according to Baseball Savant. Regardless of the average velocity on his four-seam fastball being 94.3 mph, Gallen couldn’t get a single hitter on the Phillies to swing and miss on the pitch.
Gallen’s success in his first two postseason starts extends well beyond the Diamondbacks. He has joined a distinguished group of pitchers who are some of the finest to have ever worn a Tar Heels uniform. According to North Carolina baseball historian and statistician Pat James, Gallen became the fourth pitcher in Tar Heels history who has won a postseason ball game at the major league level alongside right-handed pitchers Matt Harvey and Paul Shuey and left-handed pitcher Andrew Miller. Gallen needs to win one more postseason ball game to sit atop this impressive list.
One of Gallen’s greatest admirers this postseason has been Hall of Fame right-handed pitcher Pedro Martinez. As an analyst on TBS’ coverage of the National League Division Series, Martinez has praised Gallen for his old school mentality and called him a “genetic pitcher.” In 115 regular season starts beginning in 2019, the 28-year-old pitcher acts like a veteran with a decade of experience according to Martinez. He doesn’t have to be told anything because Gallen adheres to a blueprint for success that is defined by six pillars: move the baseball around the strike zone, pitch tunneling, keep hitters off balance, pitch sequencing, outthink your opponent, and maintain an effortless approach at all times.
A three pitch sequence by Gallen in Game Two of the National League Division Series against first baseman Freddie Freeman of the Dodgers personifies the Diamondbacks’ postseason. In the bottom of the fifth inning with two outs and runners on first and third, the Diamondbacks had a 3-1 lead as Gallen was facing Freeman. As the count had reached one ball and two strikes, Gallen threw two consecutive knuckle curveballs that missed the strike zone. After reaching a full count, Gallen was still confident in his knuckle curveball and threw it once again which froze Freeman and resulted in a called third strike.
Gallen’s trust and persistence allowed him to excel in a pivotal moment. In a postgame interview with MLB Network, he was asked about the three consecutive knuckle curveballs and the potential dangers that accompany a decision of that magnitude. Gallen remembered a quote from one of his college coaches when it comes to throwing the same pitch three consecutive times, “Good, better, best if you’re tripling up.”
Zac Gallen embodies the endearing qualities of a big game pitcher as the Arizona Diamondbacks are making a lot of noise this postseason thanks to a style of play that exudes high energy and confidence. As he pays meticulous attention to details, Gallen’s cerebral approach to pitching has served him well. The raucous crowds at Citizens Bank Park can unnerve the most seasoned of veterans but expect Gallen to thrive in an environment that provides him with a unique home field advantage.