‘Everything is synced up’ on the mound for D-backs starter Zac Gallen

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen has been among the best pitchers in Major League Baseball over the past month and has the stats to back it.

In his last seven starts, the righty has given up just six earned runs combined.

He continued his torrid pace on Thursday, with maybe his best start of the season against the San Francisco Giants.

“If I had to go off the top of my head, if not No. 1 (his best start), it’s up there,” Gallen told Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta on Friday.

Gallen was mighty effective in Thursday’s 5-0 win over the Giants, tossing 7.1 shutout innings while striking out 12 batters. He extended his scoreless innings streak to 21.1 consecutive innings.

Through his dominant stretch on the mound, Gallen has seen his record on the year improve to 9-2 while sporting a 2.78 ERA.

“Everything (just) started to take shape,” the righty said. “Had a pretty good feel for the slider lately, the curveball has felt good and same thing with the changeup.

“Everything is kind of just synced up and gone really well.”

He said that in the past, he had a tendency to lean on whatever is working rather than mixing pitches. Now with everything working in 2021, Gallen is throwing everything.

“It’s just having confidence in everything,” Gallen said. “I think I’m at my best when I can throw all four or five pitches for strikes.”

Gallen added that this D-backs’ clubhouse is the closest one he’s been in before, crediting a lot of that to a handful of players spending time together in the minors.

“As a whole, we all like to hang out with each other … guys just enjoy each other’s company,” he said. “Everyone is starting to gel together and it’s pretty cool.”

The Diamondbacks begin a three-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday at 6:40 p.m. on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station. 

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