Zac Gallen Labors In First Cactus League Start

The Diamondbacks ace felt good despite a rough first start of the spring.

Retraction: A previous version of this article misreported an aspect of Gallen's outing related to quick pitch/batter timeout rules. That erroneous section has been removed from the article. 

Zac Gallen labored through first Cactus League start in a 9-3 loss to the Oakland Athletics. The Diamondbacks likely Opening Day starter saw his velocity dip, with his 4-seam fastball clocking between 88.0 and 93.8 MPH, and his otherwise impeccable was not there. Pitching in parts of four different innings, Gallen allowed four runs on three hits, four walks, and one strikeout while retiring only six hitters. He was able to get to 62 pitches, although only 34 for strikes.

Gallen said "it felt good to be out there with another uniform out there. Kind of get feel of the real thing". The 27-year-old right-hander said that everything out of his hand felt pretty good for going out there four times in the game. 

The bullpen didn't have a strong day either, with mixed results across the board. Collectively the unit allowed three of the four runners Gallen left behind to score. However most of the damage came in the third and fourth innings.

Austin Brice would finish the second inning with a pair of strikeouts and hit a batter. 

Blake Rogers got hammered in the third inning, allowing two inherited runners and four runs himself on three hits, two walks, and one strikeout. 

Luis Frias allowed Gallen's fourth run plus an unearned run, but was tagged for three hits and issued his first walk of the spring. He left with two runners on with no outs, getting bailed out by Zach McAllister, who retired all three hitters he faced on two flyouts and a strikeout.

Jeurys Familia pitched a clean sixth with a pair of strikeouts. Familia was up to 95 MPH on his 4-seam fastball. Of all the non-roster relievers, he has had the best spring so far.

Kyle Nelson loaded the bases with two hits and a walk, but managed to kept Oakland scoreless in the with a pair of strikeouts in the seventh. 

Cole Sulser pitched a clean eighth, on two groundouts and a deep fly ball to center.

Kevin Ginkel got the ninth and retired the side in just six pitches. 

Corbin Carroll continues to do impressive stuff this spring, leading off the game with a 10-pitch walk against the hard-throwing Shintaro Fujinami. It is Carroll's seventh walk of the spring.

Blaze Alexander drove a ball down the left field line, hit at 106 MPH, for an RBI double in the fourth.

Kyle Lewis launched a long home run to left off left-hander J.P. Sears in the fifth, leaving the bat at 110 MPH. The D-backs traded for him in order to provide some thump against southpaws this season.

The D-backs will host the Texas Rangers tomorrow at Salt River Fields. Left-hander Tommy Henry (0-1, 12.46 ERA) is hoping to put together a solid start to stay in the competition for the final rotation spot.

Updates

Ryne Nelson pitched in a B game against the Texas Rangers. The D-backs No. 6 prospect allowed four runs on three hits, one walk, and six strikeouts in 2.2 innings.

Ryne Nelson's line in the D-Backs 'B' game today against the Rangers:

2.2 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 6 K, 1 BB, 38 pitches

Believe the Rangers played a pretty strong lineup with a decent number of major leaguers.

— Theo Mackie (@theo_mackie) March 7, 2023

Merrill Kelly wasn't listed in Team USA's starting rotation in the first round of the World Baseball Classic, so he's likely working out of the bullpen as a piggyback starter.