Friday effectively marked the end of the Diamondbacks' season, as Arizona was eliminated from postseason contention with its 7-4 loss to the Padres. But the defeat may have marked the end of something else as well: Starting pitcher Zac Gallen's tenure in Arizona.
Gallen, a pending free agent this winter, pitched 4 1/3 innings and yielded five earned runs in the eventual loss, in what may have been his last start as a member of the Diamondbacks. And Gallen, while speaking to reporters, had a difficult time processing that reality.
"Yeah I mean, it's tough for me to take it off," Gallen said of his Diamondbacks uniform, via Jack Sommers. "I kind of lingered on the mound a little bit too when Torey [Lovullo] was coming out. Worn this uniform for seven years now. As much as I spent some other time in organizations, I think of myself as a D-Back, really. Spent most of my career here.”
Zac Gallen had a tough time taking off his Diamondbacks Jersey.
— Jack Sommers (@shoewizard59) September 27, 2025
He's been a Diamondback through and through. Everything you could ask for in a competitor and human being who cares about his teammates, the organization and the fans. pic.twitter.com/ROPeKzrLBX
"And if it's the last time, it'll be a tough pill to swallow. A lot of fond memories here. I know the last two years didn't go the way we wanted them to. This year didn't go the way I envisioned for myself. But every fifth day, I put the uniform on—I was honored, I was proud to put the uniform on. But I went out there every fifth day and tried to give these guys everything I had. Obviously, this year wasn't enough."
It was an up-and-down year for Gallen, who pitched to a career-worst 4.83 ERA in 33 starts this season. The veteran righthander likely had to process the end of his Diamondbacks tenure earlier in the year as well, as he found himself the subject of trade rumors ahead of the July 31 deadline, but ultimately ended up staying in the desert.
In seven seasons in Arizona, Gallen experienced the highs of his 2023 campaign, in which he finished third in the National League Cy Young Award voting while pitching Arizona to the World Series, and the lows of uneven performance in both 2024 and '25, in which the Diamondbacks narrowly missed out on the postseason both years.
It's understandable that the potential end of his Diamondbacks career would be hard to process, but perhaps a reunion with Arizona this winter will be in the cards.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Zac Gallen Emotional After D-Backs Eliminated in His Potential Last Start With Arizona.
