Diamondbacks Staying Extremely Cautious with Zac Gallen’s Injury

Nursing a hamstring injury sustained during his April 26th start against the Mariners, Diamondbacks’ ace Zac Gallen is set to receive some ‘extra rest’ before returning to the mound.

Per manager Torey Lovullo, Gallen’s next start will be versus the San Diego Padres at home this Sunday.

Manager Torey Lovullo stated that Gallen’s next appearance is scheduled for this Sunday at home against the San Diego Padres. Gallen was originally slated to start Wednesday night against the Dodgers; however, an unexpected bee delay on Tuesday led to the team using several relievers, pushing Jordan Montgomery’s start a day back.

In the meantime, the Diamondbacks have called up pitching prospect Blake Walston, who started 30 games last season with the Reno Aces. When Walston eventually makes his debut, he will become the 20th pitcher the Diamondbacks have used this season.

The team has faced significant challenges with injuries, particularly to their pitching staff, with six pitchers currently on the injured list. This underscores the importance of Gallen’s timely return to the rotation.

However, Lovullo is cautious about rushing his return. Reflecting on a recent incident where Eduardo Rodriguez was hurried back from the IL only to be shut down again due to persistent lat pain—resulting in a move to the 60-day IL—Lovullo expressed regret.

Quickly after Rodriguez started his throwing program, he was shut down to continuous pain in his lat. Last week, he was then sent to the 60-day IL.

. He emphasized the lesson learned from Rodriguez’s rushed recovery, stating, “We all learned a very valuable lesson … If we could choose to do things differently, it would be to re-image, make sure everything was good and then keep pushing forward.”

Given this experience, it is no surprise that the Diamondbacks are proceeding cautiously with Gallen, preferring to ensure his full recovery, even if his symptoms are currently mild.