The Arizona Diamondbacks made a significant announcement on Wednesday, revealing that right-handed pitcher Zac Gallen would take the mound as the starting pitcher in Game 1 of the World Series against the Texas Rangers scheduled for Friday night. In a swift response, the Rangers also declared their choice, opting for right-hander Nathan Eovaldi as their starter for the opening game of the 2023 Fall Classic.
The Diamondbacks clinched the National League pennant just the day before by defeating the Philadelphia Phillies in a nail-biting Game 7 of the NLCS. Similarly, the Rangers secured their World Series berth by prevailing over the Houston Astros in an intense ALCS Game 7.
Zac Gallen, aged 28, is set to become part of an exclusive group of Diamondbacks pitchers who have had the honor of starting a World Series game. The Diamondbacks’ previous World Series appearance dates back to 2001 when they triumphed over the New York Yankees. In that memorable series, the likes of Curt Schilling made three starts, Randy Johnson took the mound twice, and both Brian Anderson and Miguel Batista received one start each. The Arizona Diamondbacks
During the regular season, Gallen was a workhorse, making 34 starts and compiling a commendable 3.47 ERA (equating to a 125 ERA+). He boasted an impressive 4.68 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Gallen’s stellar performance earned him his first All-Star Game selection, a well-deserved recognition, especially given that he had previously been considered for the Cy Young Award in 2020 (a year without an All-Star Game due to the COVID-19 pandemic) and then again in 2022. Looking ahead, Gallen could potentially be considered for a Game 5 start based on the series schedule, or even a Game 4 start on short rest if circumstances dictate, although it’s premature to delve into such worst-case scenarios at this stage.
In terms of regular-season statistics, Gallen led the Diamondbacks in innings pitched, logging an impressive 210 innings. However, he ranked second among starting pitchers in ERA+, with Merrill Kelly likely to take the mound in Game 2, and the promising rookie Brandon Pfaadt being a strong candidate for the Game 3 start. It’s worth noting that the assignments for those games haven’t been officially confirmed. During the NLCS, the Diamondbacks employed a bullpen strategy instead of designating a fourth starter, and it remains to be seen if they will adopt a similar approach for the World Series.