Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Zac Gallen Remains Upbeat After Early Departure on Friday

Originally posted on Burn City Sports | By Jacob Hardin | Last updated 4/27/24

With Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez already sidelined from the Diamondbacks’ starting rotation due to injuries, the last thing they need is their ace Zac Gallen joining them on the IL.

So, as Gallen departed early during his start against the Mariners on Friday, the entire state of Arizona held its breath for a moment.

Following the loss, it was revealed that Gallen was removed due to hamstring tightness, a positive sign as it spared him from any arm injury, the more concerning type.

Here's the video of the pitch where Zac Gallen exited the game tonight vs the Mariners. He did NOT throw a warmup pitch after this & was immediately taken out of the game

1st Eduardo Rodriguez, next Merrill Kelly and now Zac Gallen. Dbacks rotation has been tested early pic.twitter.com/NdeVrEwLw8

— Dalton Feely (@dfeely14) April 27, 2024

Gallen himself confirmed that he does not anticipate missing any playing time. Before his departure, he had allowed three earned runs in five innings, contributing to a 6-1 loss to the Mariners. His season ERA now stands at 3.38, a contrast to the 1.64 it once was through his first four starts of the year.

According to manager Torey Lovullo, Arizona’s ace will undergo further evaluation, but it seems to be just hamstring spasms.

Amidst the ongoing injury woes, the Diamondbacks have suffered seven losses in their last ten games. Along with Kelly and Rodriguez absent from the starting rotation, Arizona has keenly felt the absence of Alek Thomas and Geraldo Perdomo from their starting lineup.

Overall, the D-backs currently have eight players on the IL, significantly impacting their slow start at 12-15.

This article first appeared on Burn City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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