Tag: Zac Gallen

Zac Gallen gets opening day nod again for Diamondbacks

Former UNC baseball standout Zac Gallen gets the opening day start for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2024.

Former North Carolina Tar Heels’ pitcher Zac Gallen was a big reason why the Arizona Diamondbacks were able to win the NL pennant and make the World Series. Although the Diamondbacks fell short, it was a special season they are hoping to build on.

As the Diamondbacks get set for the 2024 MLB season, Gallen will once again be the team’s ace and get the opening day start.

The Diamondbacks announced on Tuesday that Gallen will be the team’s opening day start. The team will host Colorado on Thursday, March 28th at 7:10 p.m. MST. This is the second straight season that Gallen will get the opening day nod but the first at home as he started last season’s game in Los Angeles.

Gallen is coming off a big season in 2023, finishing third in the NL Cy Young race and being named the All-Star Game starter. He posted a 17-9 record with a 3.47 ERA in 34 starts for the Diamondbacks. He struck out 9.4 batters per nine innings while allowing just 22 home runs all year.

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Gallen’s six no-hit innings not enough as Diamondbacks lose World Series

Arizona Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen, the UNC standout pitcher from 2014-2016, gave his team a strong chance in Game 5 of the World Series.

One of the best pitchers to come out of the UNC baseball program nearly pitched his team to a World Series win on Wednesday, Nov. 1.

That pitcher is none other than Arizona Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen, who toed the rubber in Chapel Hill from 2014-2016. Gallen compiled a 14-13 record, 3.36 earned run average and struck out 231 batters as a Tar Heel, which was good enough for the St. Louis Cardinals to select him third round in the 2016 MLB Draft.

What Gallen did last night, with the Diamondbacks facing elimination on baseball’s grandest stage, was the type of performance that turns ordinary guys into legends.

Though Gallen took the loss in a 5-0 Rangers victory, he pitched six no-hit innings to start. He ended his night allowing just one run, one walk and three hits through 6 1/3 innings while striking out six batters.

When your pitcher is nearly perfect through six innings, chances are you’ll end up winning the game. Arizona, sadly, only mustered five hits throughout the decisive Game 5 last night.

Gallen’s World Series performance was only a microcosm of the impressive season he enjoyed, which deserves a National League Cy Young (best pitcher) Award to cap it off.

In the regular season, Gallen carried the second-best NL record with a 17-9 mark. He struck out 220 batters (sixth), compiled a 3.47 ERA (16th) and 1.12 WHIP (12th).

Gallen struggled a bit more in the postseason, only pitching to a 2-3 win-loss record, 4.54 ERA and striking out just 24 batters. His performance on Wednesday night, however, showed the baseball world he can deliver in the clutch and is one of the sport’s best, young pitchers.

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Zac Gallen, Diamondbacks drop Game 1 of World Series to Adolis Garcia

Arizona Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen, a former UNC star, was in line for a World Series victory last night. The bullpen ended that chance.

If you would’ve asked me, at the beginning of baseball season, that the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers would be playing for the World Series, I probably would’ve said “I wish, but you’ve got so many other more established teams.”

As we all know in sports, however, anything can happen.

That is certainly the case with the current MLB Postseason, with 100-win teams/division winners in the Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves all exiting in the Divisional Round.

Here we are on Halloween weekend, with the Diamondbacks and Rangers – just like we all guessed in March – playing for a World Series title.

Texas has the 1-0 series advantage, winning 6-5 last night on an 11th-inning walkoff from star outfielder Adolis García.

One of the best pitchers in the World Series is Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen, who starred at UNC from 2014-2016. Gallen compiled a 14-13 record and 3.36 earned run average, plus he struck out 231 batters, in his college years.

Gallen also got the start in Game 1 of the World Series last night, becoming just the seventh former Tar Heel to play in the annual Fall Classic.

Gallen pitched an okay game, allowing three runs, four walks and just four hits over five innings. Gallen was actually in line for the win, until Diamondbacks closer Paul Sewald allowed a game-tying home run to Rangers slugger Corey Seager in the ninth inning.

García’s late-inning, walk-off ended all hopes of an Arizona victory.

There’s a chance we could see Gallen in Game 5, as long as the Diamondbacks don’t get swept. Regardless, this World Series gives UNC baseball fans a reason to tune in.

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Zac Gallen becomes seventh former Diamond Heel to reach World Series

Former UNC baseball standout Zac Gallen, now on the Arizona Diamondbacks, will toe the rubber in Game 1 of the World Series tonight.

There’s been a lot of great UNC baseball players who’ve gone on to play professionally, but only a handful have made it to the World Series.

Mule Shirley (1921-1923), Burgess Whitehead, Snuffy Stirnweiss, Walt Weiss, Andrew Miller (2004-2006) and Matt Harvey (2008 and 2009) were the first six Diamond Heels to make it.

The most recent one?

Zac Gallen, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ ace who is starting Game 1 of the 2023 World Series, later tonight.

He’s a perennial Cy Young candidate, ranking amongst the National League’s leaders in ERA, win-loss record, strikeouts and WHIP. Gallen’s been not the main reason, but one of many reasons Arizona is playing baseball deep into October.

Gallen and the Diamondbacks start their quest for World Series title number two, this time against the Texas Rangers, tonight at 8:03 p.m in Arlington. The two teams match up again on Saturday night at the same time, then head to Phoenix for three games starting Monday, Oct. 30.

Gallen has a chance to etch his name in Carolina Baseball history this coming week. He was 14-13 with a 3.36 earned run average and 231 strikeouts in Chapel Hill, but has been even better in the pros with a 39-31 record, 729 strikeouts and a 3.21 ERA.

If you want to watch Gallen ball out tomorrow night, tune into FOX at 8:03 p.m. ET.

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UNC head baseball coach Scott Forbes rocks Zac Gallen jersey

Diamond Heels head coach Scott Forbes was supporting one of his former players, rocking the Zac Gallen jersey on Wednesday afternoon.

There’s a lot to be excited about in the UNC baseball world right now – and none of it has to do with the the current Diamond Heels themselves.

It all has to do with Zac Gallen, the 2014-2016 Diamond Heel, who is just a day away from starting Game 1 of the World Series for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Gallen was among the MLB’s best in the regular season – holding a 17-9 win-loss record (second), striking out 220 batters (sixth), carrying a 3.47 earned run average (16th) and 1.12 WHIP (12th). He’s among the NL Cy Young favorites, but should be THE favorite after helping lead Arizona to its first World Series berth since the 2001, championship-winning season.

How is Gallen’s alma mater supporting him back in Chapel Hill?

Look no further than UNC baseball head coach Scott Forbes, who was spotted donning a Gallen Diamondbacks jersey, on Wednesday afternoon at Boshamer Stadium.

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Forbes, now entering his fourth season as Carolina head coach, was a Mike Fox assistant when Gallen played in Chapel Hill. Gallen compiled a 14-13 win-loss record, 3.36 ERA and struck out 231 career batters over three years

Though Gallen is several years removed from being a Tar Heel, it’s still amazing to see how much support he’s getting from a small little town in Central North Carolina – all the way across the country.

Here’s to hoping Gallen can bring the Diamondbacks their second World Series title.

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Wold Series: Zac Gallen named Game 1 starter for Diamondbacks

Former North Carolina Diamond Heels’ ace Zac Gallen will get the Game 1 start in the World Series for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Former North Carolina Tar Heels’ ace Zac Gallen has helped lead the Arizona Diamondbacks to the World Series for the first time since 2001. And now, he will get the ball to get the series started in Game 1.

On Wednesday, a day after the Diamondbacks beat the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 7 of the NLCS, manager Torey Lovullo announced that Gallen will get the ball to pitch in Game 1 on Friday night.

Gallen earned the nod in the Diamondbacks Game 1 game against the Phillies in the NLCS, losing that game on the road. He will oppose Texas starter Nathan Eovaldi in Arlington.

In the playoffs, Gallen is 2-2 with a 5.24 ERA in two games started. Both losses game in the NLCS to the Phillies as he lost Game 1 on the road and then Game 5 at home. He also posted a 7.86 ERA in the NLC compared to a 3.00 ERA and a 3.38 ERA in the Wild Card and NLDS series.

First pitch is set for 8:03 p.m. on Friday night as the World Series will officially begin.

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D-backs pitcher Zac Gallen absolutely crushed a trash-talking Phillies fan with a single tweet

The account went private REAL quick.

The Arizona Diamondbacks shocked the entire baseball-watching world with their run through the postseason and the franchise’s first National League pennant since 2001. And to get to that World Series, the D-backs had to go through an ultra-confident Phillies team and fan base.

So, you can’t really blame the D-backs players for enjoying those two straight wins at Citizens Bank Park … even if it meant a brutal awakening for Phillies fans.

Though D-backs ace Zac Gallen struggled in the postseason, Phillies fans didn’t have much room to talk considering the team *just* got eliminated. That didn’t stop one Phillies fan from trying, though, and Gallen needed just one tweet to send the account private.

When a Phillies fan tried to tell Gallen that he went 0-2 against the Phillies, the D-backs pitcher sent the account a Google screenshot for Phillies spring training tickets. You know, just in case the fan wanted tickets for the Phillies’ next game.

Yeah, don’t mess with D-backs players if you’re a Phillies fan. It won’t end well.

Diamond in the rough? Zac Gallen to start NLCS Game 1 for Diamondbacks

Former UNC baseball hurler Zac Gallen, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Cy Young candidate, will be starting Game 1 of the NLCS against Philly.

I think we can all agree that the MLB Postseason hasn’t played out like anyone expected.

Three 100-win teams – the AL East champion Baltimore Orioles, NL East champion Atlanta Braves and NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers, failed to make it past the Divisional Series. The Braves won one game of their NLDS clash against the Philadelphia Phillies, nearly coming back in another, but were the only 100-win team to not get swept.

One of those surprise Divisional Series teams was the Arizona Diamondbacks, a Wild Card team from the NL West faced with a tough challenge of eliminating the Dodgers.

Arizona swept their division rivals in three games – an 11-2 road victory in Game 1, then identical, 4-2 results in Games 2 and 3.

The Diamondbacks face another wild card team, the Phillies, with a trip to the World Series on the line. The NCLS is where some of pro baseball’s brightest stars shines – and Arizona is turning to one of its brightest stars in hopes he delivers his team a crucial, 1-0 series advantage.

On Friday, Oct. 13, the Diamondbacks announced former UNC baseball standout Zac Gallen as their Game 1 NLCS starter.

Just how good has Gallen been this year? You can look at just the postseason alone, but his whole campaign has been that of a NL Cy Young (top pitcher) Award Winner).

He was an instrumental part in helping Arizona win its first Postseason action since 2017, when it beat the Colorado Rockies in the NL Wild Card Game. On Wednesday, Oct. 4 in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series against the NL Central Champion Milwaukee Brewers, Gallen earned the series-clinching win by striking out four batters, allowing just five hits and two earned runs over six innings.

Gallen pitched three years for the Diamond Heels (2014-2016), compiling a 14-13 win-loss record, 3.36 earned run average and 231 strikeouts over 260 innings.

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Gallen’s gem helps Diamondbacks win first postseason series in six years

Former UNC baseball standout Zac Gallen struck out five batters across six innings for the Arizona Diamondbacks, leading them to the NLDS.

All the Arizona Diamondbacks had to do on Wednesday night was beat the Milwaukee Brewers.

With a victory, they’d be advancing to the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are a heavy favorite to win the World Series.

Arizona, down 2-0 early, scored five unanswered runs and beat Milwaukee, 5-2, sweeping the NL Central champion on its home field.

A major reason behind the Wild Card Series-clinching victory was the play of former UNC standout Zac Gallen, who rebounded from a rough first inning to toss a quality start.

Gallen fired six innings, allowing just five hits and two earned runs while striking out four batters. This continued a strong regular season campaign for Gallen, who earned Cy Young consideration with a 17-9 win-loss record, 3.47 ERA and 220 strikeouts.

According to ESPN baseball columnist Jeff Passan, Gallen will likely get the ball in Game 2 of the Diamondbacks-Dodgers NLDS series, which doesn’t start until Saturday. Game 3 is on Monday, Oct. 9, meaning Gallen gets five whole days’ rest. Former Durham Bull Merrill Kelly will likely get the start in Game 1.

The Diamondbacks couldn’t quite snatch the NL West crown from the Dodgers, but they have an opportunity to do something more meaningful – knock out a baseball powerhouse en route to the NLCS.

According to Pat James, a former Daily Tar Heel writer, Gallen became just the fourth Diamond Heels pitcher to win a postseason start.

The others? Matt Harvey, Andrew Miller and Paul Shuey.

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Zac Gallen, Jacob Stallings, J.B. Bukauskas representing Diamond Heels in MLB Postseason

The UNC baseball program is well-represented in the MLB Postseason by Zac Gallen, Jacob Stallings and J.B. Bukauskas.

The UNC baseball program has churned out some star-level MLB talent in the last couple decades, headlined by former All-Star Andrew Miller, who took the Diamond Heels to the 2006 and 2007 College World Series finals.

The current MLB postseason holds a ton of that star-level talent, with former Tar Heels Zac Gallen, Jacob Stallings and J.B. Bukauskas all trying to help their teams advance to the ALDS.

As of Wednesday, Oct. 4, Gallen and the Arizona Diamondbacks had a 1-0 lead over the Milwaukee Brewers in the Wild Card Series. Arizona actually turned to their ace Wednesday night, in hopes of finishing Milwaukee off and vaulting it into the NLDS for the first time since 2017.

Bukauskas, a relief pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, is trying to stave off elimination. He recently landed on the 15-day injured list, making it unlikely he pitches in the postseason, but carried a 2-2 win-loss record, 5.92 ERA and 21 batters struck out, across 24.1 innings pitched in 27 appearances.

Stallings is splitting the Miami Marlins catcher duties with Nick Fortes, though neither has much to show for offensively. Stallings has 46 hits in 241 at-bats, 22 runs scored and 20 RBIs. He’s more known for his defensive abilities, though, as he won the National League’s 2021 Gold Glove Award for catchers.

Stallings and his Marlins teammates need to battle back from a 1-0 deficit against the Philadelphia Phillies in their NL Wild Card Series. He appeared as a defensive replacement for Fortes on Tuesday, Oct. 3 and could possibly appear for Miami as the starter in Game 2.

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