Zac Gallen roughed up in Diamondbacks’ Opening Day loss vs. Cubs

Disappointment defined Zac Gallen’s Opening Day start on Thursday, as the Diamondbacks pitcher gave up four earned runs to the Cubs in a 10-6 loss.

Despite signing former Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes to the largest contract in franchise history at six years and $210 million last December, D-backs manager Torey Lovullo opted to give the ball to Gallen on Opening Day for the third straight season. The skipper’s decision did not pay off.

While Gallen survived the first inning after an errant throw from third baseman Eugenio Suarez on a routine ground ball extended the inning, it was the second inning that saw Gallen struggle mightily.

The right hander threw 29 pitches in the inning, including 11 straight balls. Gallen surrendered three runs in the frame, which saw him struggle with command after he had similar issues last season.

“Probably (the) first inning went fine and then maybe working just a little bit too fast,” Gallen said postgame. “There in the second just having trouble executing, really, is what it came down to. It was a tough time getting the rhythm, but it’s the first (start) of the year, so 30 more.

“I mean just from a delivery standpoint, I just felt like I was working a little bit too fast. Having trouble just kind of syncing everything up.”

Gallen got Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner to fly out to center to begin the inning, but he subsequently walked Pete Crow-Armstrong and Matt Shaw. After Miguel Amaya grounded out to short, an Ian Happ double and Kyle Tucker single scored three.

Happ and Tuck knock in 3. pic.twitter.com/W7AdlmjigW

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 28, 2025

Zac Gallen struggles on Opening Day against Ian Happ

Gallen was able to retire five of the next six batters, but a Happ home run with two outs put Chicago up 4-2 in the fourth. The first eight of the Cubs’ runs on Thursday came with two outs, and while Happ had faced Gallen 15 times in his career previously, he had only one hit entering Thursday with five strikeouts.

Lovullo pulled Gallen after the fourth inning and of the 83 pitches Gallen threw, only 43 of them were strikes. Gallen’s final line was four innings pitched, four earned runs, four hits, four walks and four strikeouts.

Ryne Nelson came in for his first long-relief role of the season, and unfortunately for Arizona, Nelson’s night did not go any better. In 1.2 innings, Nelson allowed four earned runs on five hits.

In the top of the fifth, the Cubs were able to put together another two-out rally that saw three more runs score.

Amaya lined a 1-2 fastball off Nelson to center that went off the glove of Jake McCarthy. It was ruled as a three-run double for Amaya which extended Chicago’s lead to 7-3.

MORE. pic.twitter.com/g2h3XR4ajF

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 28, 2025

After a Hoerner RBI single in the top of the sixth made it 8-3, Nelson was pulled for Jalen Beeks who made his first appearance for the D-backs after signing with Arizona earlier this week.

The lefty did well and retired each of the five Cubs he faced and kept Arizona in the game. But it was ultimately an insurmountable deficit.

There are positives to take away for the D-backs. Despite Gallen and Nelson’s struggles, last season’s highest-scoring offense picked up right where they left off.

While it might not have been the record-breaking barrage that saw 14 runs in the third inning of Opening Day last season, a steady stream of offensive production defined the D-backs’ first game of 2025.

Arizona scored in five of the nine innings and six of the first eight innings saw the D-backs’ leadoff man reach base. Sacrifice flies from McCarthy and Perdomo pulled the Diamondbacks to within three at 8-5 after six innings, but the Cubs tacked on two more runs in the top of the ninth, as another Amaya RBI double made it 10-5 for Chicago.

Miguel would like 5 RBI’s pls and thank you. pic.twitter.com/ZhzvDpBl0x

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 28, 2025

A Ketel Marte single and Corbin Carroll double in the ninth inning saw Arizona have runners on second and third with one out. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. drove Marte home but Josh Naylor grounded out to end the game.

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