Arizona Diamondbacks’ RHP Zac Gallen named finalist for NL Outstanding Pitcher

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen was voted a finalist for the National League Outstanding Pitcher Award by fellow MLB players.

The 27-year-old D-backs ace joins Miami Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara and Los Angeles Dodgers southpaw Julio Urias as the three finalists.

Across 31 starts, the righty Gallen posted career bests with a 2.54 ERA, 4.3 FanGraphs’ wins above replacement and a .185 batting average against. While he struck out nearly one fewer hitter per nine innings compared to 2021, he struck out a career best 4.1 per walk.

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the right-hander’s career is his 44.1-inning scoreless innings streak. He didn’t allow a run from Aug. 8 until the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies on Sept. 11.

He made six starts between those two dates. He went at least seven innings in all but one, a six-inning start against the Kansas City Royals.

He allowed three or fewer hits in all but one: four hits in a 7.1-inning, 12-strikeout performance against the San Francisco Giants.

His line during those six starts: 5-0, 0.00 ERA, 41.1 innings pitched, 46 strikeouts (32.9% strikeout rate) and a .121 batting average against.

To put his streak into greater context, Gallen recorded 133 outs — 52 via strikeout — between earned runs. It didn’t only become hard to score against him, but rather it became difficult to even touch him.

The winner will be announced on Nov. 3 at 3 p.m. MST on ESPN.