Arizona Diamondbacks right-handed pitcher Zac Gallen has been shut down and placed on the 15-day injured list after developing inflammation in his throwing elbow, the team announced Sunday.
Gallen first told team staff about the discomfort on Saturday, which led to him being scratched from his scheduled Sunday start against the Los Angeles Dodgers at their home stadium. The 30-year-old was sent back to Phoenix on Saturday to undergo imaging, which confirmed the issue.
Arizona manager Torey Lovullo spoke with reporters but said no timetable has been established for when Gallen might return to action.
The injury arrives at a difficult point for Gallen, who carries a 3-9 record and a 6.34 ERA on the season. His recent performances have been especially rough — he has not picked up a win in eight straight starts, going 0-5 with an 8.24 ERA during that span.
Lovullo offered some perspective on Gallen’s situation, saying the pitcher had been pushing through discomfort without saying much. “Zac will be able to give you a little bit more detail as to exactly how he was feeling outing to outing,” Lovullo said. “But he was taking the baseball, and I don’t think he was throwing the ball terribly. I know that there were some moments where it was touch-and-go for him, but he’s a warrior.”
The manager continued: “He just wanted the ball, and then I think he felt something, he spoke up and that’s why we decided to get him examined.”
Gallen’s most recent appearance came last Tuesday in a 4-1 defeat to the San Diego Padres, where he surrendered four runs on six hits across six innings, suffering his fourth loss in a row.
The setback is a stark contrast to where Gallen was just two years ago. In 2023, he earned an All-Star selection and posted a career-high 17 wins. Over his career — which includes time with the Miami Marlins in 2019 and the Diamondbacks from 2019 through 2026 — he holds a 69-61 record with a 3.83 ERA across 195 starts.
To fill Gallen’s spot in the rotation, Arizona recalled left-hander Mitch Bratt from Triple-A Reno. The 23-year-old started Sunday’s game against the Dodgers, allowing three runs and three hits over three innings. He walked three batters and recorded no strikeouts in what was his second appearance in the major leagues.
Six relievers followed Bratt to the mound and collectively threw six hitless innings, helping Arizona secure a 5-3 victory that completed a three-game sweep at Dodger Stadium.
