The Arizona Diamondbacks have been playing a waiting game with their longtime ace all offseason. There is finally a resolution.
The Diamondbacks are closing in on signing right-hander Zac Gallen to a one-year, $22.025 million deal, according to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com and Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. About $14 million is deferred, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
Gallen was in a standoff with the free agent market all offseason long and was one of the last big-ticket free agents left this offseason.
He will earn the same amount, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, as he would have had he accepted his qualifying offer.
According to Heyman, Gallen had multiyear deals on the table, but preferred to go back to Arizona.
What Does Gallen Bring to the Arizona Diamondbacks?
Diamondbacks fans are aware of what Gallen can do when he is on the mound. From the COVID-shortened 2020 season onwards, Gallen has been one of the best pitchers in baseball.
He owns a 3.58 career ERA, inflated by his poor 2025. Acquired by Arizona in 2019 for Jazz Chisholm Jr., Gallen has made one All-Star Game. He has finished top 10 in Cy Young voting three times, including a third-place finish in 2023.
But not only is he a marker of consistency on the mound, but his trait of availability is elite. Since 2021, Gallen has started in 149 games, an average of about 30 starts per year. He has made at least 30 starts in three of the past four seasons.
His playoff experience is also not to be shrugged off. He pitched to a 4.54 ERA in six playoff starts during the Diamondbacks’ 2023 miracle playoff run. While those aren’t elite numbers, they are something to draw from, as the Diamondbacks look to make the postseason for the first time since that miracle run.
Why Did It Take This Long For Gallen?
So why would it take this long for Gallen to sign? Nightengale credits the poor market this offseason. While true, it’s not as simple as that.
It took until recently for many quality starting pitchers to sign. Framber Valdez and Gallen had been atop the available free agents for weeks. But that can’t have been the sole reason.
While his track record is undeniable, Gallen is coming off a disappointing 2025. In 33 starts, Gallen pitched to a career-high 4.83 ERA with 175 strikeouts in just 192 innings.
While he improved down the stretch with a 3.97 second-half ERA, it wasn’t enough to save face overall on the season.
Looking towards 2026, he figures to be the unquestioned ace of a team with many question marks in the rotation and bullpen.
Merrill Kelly, Ryne Nelson, Eduardo Rodriguez and Brandon Pfaadt figure to slot in behind him in the rotation, at least until Corbin Burnes returns.
Had Gallen had a better 2025, he would’ve been able to parlay that into a nice multiyear contract. Instead, entering his age-31 season, he will wait another year to prove himself and bounce back.
Diamondbacks End Waiting Game With Beloved Ace