The Arizona Diamondbacks are the team to watch ahead of the trade deadline.
If the Diamondbacks decide to sell, and it’s entirely possible at 34-34 and in fourth place in the National League West, they could shake up the deadline. They have plenty of intriguing trade assets such as right-handers Merrill Kelly and Shelby Miller and sluggers Eugenio Suarez, Randal Grichuk and Josh Naylor. But no trade piece is as intriguing as right-hander Zac Gallen.
Gallen is in the final season of his contract with the Diamondbacks. When Arizona signed Corbin Burnes, it signaled that Gallen was unlikely to return to Arizona on a long-term contract. With Burnes sidelined until perhaps 2027 after undergoing Tommy John surgery this week, perhaps the team’s thinking changed. But it’s entirely possible that Gallen is entering his final weeks in Arizona.
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D-backs' Zac Gallen decision could define MLB's trade deadline
This season has been a struggle for Gallen, 29, as he’s posted a 5.15 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 80.1 innings. Perhaps most concerning is his 36 walks, which are 11 fewer than he posted in 210 innings in his All-Star season in 2023.
But there is no denying that, when right, Gallen is one of the best pitchers in baseball. In 2022, he posted a 2.54 ERA in 31 starts. In 2023, he recorded a 3.47 ERA. In 2024, his ERA rose slightly to 3.65, but he was still considered among the National League’s finest.
There is no shortage of contending teams who will be looking for starting pitching, with the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs among many teams who could be in that market in the coming weeks.
What might it cost to acquire Gallen? It won’t break the bank for any acquiring team. It should be worth pointing out that last season, Jack Flaherty was traded from the Tigers to the Dodgers for Thayron Liranzo and Trey Sweeney, the Dodgers’ No. 8 and 22 prospects at the time.
Flaherty was producing better than Gallen is now, but there were reportedly injury concerns surrounding Flaherty that limited the acquisition cost. Both are established veterans and come with very similar salaries (Flaherty was signed to a one-year, $14 million contract while Gallen is signed to a one-year, $13.5 million contract).
There are no guarantees that Gallen will be traded, or that the Diamondbacks will even sell. But Gallen is absolutely a name to file away over the next several weeks. He’ll be mentioned plenty in trade rumors and be the subject of many phone calls from contending teams.