The Arizona Diamondbacks have been getting by with just three legitimate starters at this point in the postseason.
They don’t trust anybody who is not named Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, or Brandon Pfaadt and are willing to use their bullpen to cover any needed games.
The strategy worked for them in the NL Championship Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, and now they have advanced to the Fall Classic where they will face another hard test: the Texas Rangers.
To combat the tough Rangers, the D-Backs are sending their ace to the mound in Game 1.
“The Arizona Diamondbacks announce that Zac Gallen will indeed go Game 1 in the World Series,” MLB insider Bob Nightengale tweeted.
The Arizona Diamondbacks announce that Zac Gallen will indeed go Game 1 in the World Series
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) October 25, 2023
Gallen had a 3.47 ERA in the regular season, with 220 strikeouts and a 1.12 WHIP in 210 innings.
He hasn’t been that great in the postseason, with a 5.24 ERA in 22.1 frames, but is capable of turning things around any time now.
Gallen is one of the few true aces in the league right now and has a long track record of success.
He has been with the D-Backs for five years now and has a very solid 3.24 ERA with them since 2019.
That’s excellent performance right there, and the D-Backs are happy to send him to the mound even if he hasn’t been having his best games in October.
There isn’t anything official on the Rangers’ side, but the Game 1 nod should go to one of Nathan Eovaldi or Jordan Montgomery, and probably the former since the latter pitched in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros.
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