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Zac Gallen has Grade 1 hamstring strain, Slade Cecconi to start Saturday

Originally posted on Burn City Sports
By Michael McDermott | Last updated May 31, 2024 11:58 PM ET

Before Friday’s loss to the New York Mets, right-hander Zac Gallen was placed on the 15-day injured list . After the game, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo gave an update on the severity of the injury. Lovullo told reporters, including Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, that Gallen has a Grade 1 strain of his right hamstring.

It appears to be a Grade 1 (i.e., least severe) hamstring strain for Zac Gallen, Torey Lovullo said. Gallen missed only 15 days with a Grade 1 strain back in 2021, and Lovullo sounded hopeful Gallen could be back on a similar timeline this time.

— Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro) June 1, 2024

This injury is similar to one he suffered three seasons ago when he missed 14 days on a separate right hamstring strain. The hope for the Diamondbacks is his absence will be equally as short. The team is already dealing with injuries to the rotation, with Gallen, Merrill Kelly, and Eduardo Rodríguez all on the injured list. While Brandon Pfaadt has taken the next step in his progression as a starting pitcher, the other young starters have struggled to put consistent outings together.

Another update from Lovullo postgame that will impact the starting rotation is right-hander Slade Cecconi will start Saturday against the Mets. Cecconi will be operating on five days’ rest and it allows them to break apart the two left-handers in the rotation. Blake Walston will be pushed back to Sunday and the rotation likely goes as scheduled the rest of the way. Based on that decision, it appears Cecconi will get the opportunity to fill the vacant hole in the rotation over Tommy Henry.

This article first appeared on Burn City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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