Zac Gallen Had Emotional Reaction after Final 2025 Start

Zac Gallen sat at his locker waiting for the media — still wearing his Arizona Diamondbacks jersey. He didn't want to take it off.

Gallen had walked off the mound Friday night with a 5-2 deficit in an elimination game Arizona would eventually lose 7-4. If Friday's outing (as it may very well be) was his last night in that jersey, it was a difficult one to accept.

A somewhat emotional Gallen spoke to reporters honestly and at length, as he's done every fifth day for over half a decade.

"It's tough for me to take off [the jersey]," he said. "Kind of lingered on the mound a little bit too when Torey was coming out. I've worn this uniform for seven years now. ... I think of myself as a D-back really. If it's the last time, it would be a tough pill to swallow.

"I know the last two years didn't go the way we wanted it to. This year didn't go the way I envisioned for myself. But every fifth day I put the uniform on, It was an honor. I was proud to put the uniform on," he said.

Zac Gallen On Potential Last Diamondbacks Start

Gallen, who was the driving force of Arizona's incredible 2023 World Series run, may not get another chance to compete in October as a member of the D-backs. His last start spelled the end of those hopes, at least, for this season.

Gallen had his last start pushed back a day. Rather than ending his regular season in front of the Chase Field home crowd against the Dodgers, Arizona went with a bullpen game to give Gallen — who had been battling an illness — an extra day's rest.

Gallen said he was "a little shocked," but was committed to acting in the best interest of the team. The decision was not his.

"That was tough. I mean, I think – because when I left the mound against Philly, I tried to take it in just in case something happened. But I just in the back of my mind thought I was getting another start at Chase Field.

"Just from a nostalgia and sentimental standpoint, that was tough. But at the same time, I'm not in this game for nostalgia and sentimentals. Just, 'Hey, you've got to be ready to pitch on Friday.' I said, 'Alright, whatever the plan is, I'm good with it,'" he said.

Manager Torey Lovullo brought his own dose of sentiment, speaking proudly of his long-time ace.

"I love Zac Gallen, and I told him that," Lovullo said. "I don't know where the journey goes for him. ... At the end of the day, he did everything he could in the Valley to help bring us a World Championship.

"He carried this starting rotation on his back at times, and we watched him grow and learn, and I couldn't be more proud of what he did, and what he represented."

Zac Gallen on Elimination from Playoffs

Personal matters aside, the ultimate truth is harsh. Arizona's season will end on Sunday, with no playoff magic awaiting. Gallen reflected on that reality.

"Obviously what we were playing for tonight, what was at stake. It's just pretty tough to be able to swallow, just couldn't get it done. We battled for the last two months just to have it end in this fashion. It's heartbreaking, for sure," he said.

But despite all the injuries, underperformance and other issues, Arizona somehow remained alive until the very last series of the season. Without taking victory laps on moral grounds, Gallen did point out some of the positive impacts.

"I think just a lot of guys seized opportunities for whatever they were playing for. And I think ultimately the opportunity was to play for each other and just kind of pull the rope in the same direction and see what happens.

"Obviously the expectations we had from an organizational standpoint coming into the season this year were a little bit higher than where we're going to finish. But the expectations we had on August 1st were pretty low.

"If you would have told us on August 1st we were going to be playing meaningful baseball [on] September 26th, a lot of guys would tell you they'd sign up for that. We gave ourselves a chance. Just ultimately it didn't come the way we wanted it to."

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