Zac Gallen’s Ups and Downs vs Pirates in Diamondbacks Loss

Zac Gallen delivered an eye-catching swing-and-miss performance that masked an uneven spot start for the Arizona Diamondbacks. The D-backs fell 4-2 to the Pittsburgh Pirates at Chase Field.

The right-hander logged a season-best 15 strikeouts. He showed off improved whiff rates on his breaking balls, but a misfired slider to Joey Bart in the decisive inning swung the game in the Pirates’ favor.

Arizona’s offense struggled to supply run support. Now the D-backs have to regroup as they move toward a homestand opener against the New York Mets.

Gallen’s high-strikeout night masks worrisome command in key moments

Gallen finished with a season-high 15 whiffs, nine of them on the slider and six on his curve. That shift in his breaking-ball usage has bumped his swing-and-miss rates this season.

The slider’s become his main breaking pitch, pushing aside a flatter curveball. He also equaled a season high with five strikeouts overall in the game.

But the five-inning stretch still nags at you, especially in the fifth. That’s when a 33-pitch sequence produced three runs and the game-changing homer by Brandon Lowe.

Lowe’s homer came after a two-out walk and two more singles. Even when Gallen misses bats, he runs into trouble with command in critical spots.

That inning left his line looking rough. Two solo shots on the day helped push his ERA to 4.70 on the season.

Gallen’s night was a mixed bag: elite swing-and-miss ability on the slider and curve, but inconsistency with locations when he needed to shut a rally down.

D-backs offense stalls and Lovullo presses for better two-strike discipline

Arizona provided scant support, scratching across only two early runs—Adrian Del Castillo driving in a run with an RBI single and Corbin Carroll unloading a solo homer. Otherwise, the offense faded as the Pirates bullpen closed the door.

Manager Torey Lovullo lamented the team’s high chase rate and lack of two-strike discipline. He stressed that players have to get back to basics and protect the plate if they want to generate more offense against quality arms.

Bullpen rallies and a chance to reset against the Mets

Arizona’s bullpen spun two scoreless innings, dodging more trouble after a rough fifth. For a team stuck in a tough patch, that relief effort feels like a small win as they hit the quarter-mark with a 17-19 record.

The D-backs will try to regroup on Friday at home. Ryne Nelson gets the start against Nolan McLean and the New York Mets.

• Key stat line: Zac Gallen struck out a season-best 15. He also gave up multiple homers and a late rally that spoiled his start.
• Breaking-ball evolution: The slider has now become his main weapon, pushing aside a flatter curveball.
• Offensive note: Arizona managed just two early runs. Their struggles with two-strike hitting and plate discipline keep hanging around.
• Upcoming: Arizona hosts the Mets for three games. Maybe it’s a chance to reset after five games of shaky play.

Gallen’s swing-and-miss stuff still anchors his value, but his command late in games is the real test. The D-backs aren’t out of time yet—they’ve got a stretch of home games to push closer to .500.

Will the higher whiff rate finally lead to more dominant starts? Maybe the offense can wake up behind him as Ryne Nelson faces Nolan McLean and the Mets. Guess we’ll see.

 
Here is the source article for this story: The good and the not-so-good of Zac Gallen in Diamondbacks’ loss to Pirates