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The Arizona Diamondbacks came painfully close to returning to the playoffs in 2024. After a surprising run to the National League pennant, they struggled at the beginning of the season. Now, they're looking to make massive improvements for 2025. Will Sammon and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reported that the Diamondbacks are considering a trade of Zac Gallen this offseason.
“The Arizona Diamondbacks emerged as a team receiving significant interest from clubs looking for starters, league sources said at this week’s general managers’ meetings,” Sammon and Mooney reported. “Zac Gallen (projected to earn $14.1 million through the arbitration process) is one of the league’s best pitchers and will be a free agent after the 2025 season.”
Gallen racked up another 14 wins in 28 starts as the Diamondbacks ace in 2024. They signed Jordan Montgomery in the offseason to help their rotational depth. He was miserable, getting kicked to the bullpen by the end of the season. That put more pressure on Gallen and he lived up to it.
Teams will undoubtedly take notice of Gallen's availability. Sammon and Mooney say that the Diamondbacks are dealing from a position of power. “The Pittsburgh Pirates have also attracted interest, league sources said, though there aren’t many teams in position to deal starting pitchers like Arizona. To rival execs, the Diamondbacks stand out as interesting because they’re a competitive team boasting more options and more quality.”
Potential landing spots for Zac Gallen if the Diamondbacks trade him
Nearly every team needs a starting pitcher. Drafting and developing a bona fide starter is one of the hardest things to do in Major League Baseball and a team can get a 29-year-old for at least one year. While the Diamondbacks have not developed many great starters, it does make sense for them to deal Gallen now.
The Diamondbacks have a lot of great position players who they want to pay long-term. Corbin Carroll, Ketel Marte, Eugenio Suarez, and free-agent Christian Walker are in that group. They may not want to pay up for Gallen when they feel they can replace him in the aggregate. Trading him to a contender would be a great move.
The Yankees should be in on this trade. Their starting pitching faltered in the World Series and they could use Carlos Rodón insurance considering his poor performances. The Mets are in on everyone and are looking to build a rotation. And the Guardians are in a position to trade for a starter.
Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, and Blake Snell are the prized free-agent starting pitchers and the teams who do not land one of those should be in on Gallen.
