Diamondbacks reshuffle weekend rotation vs. Brewers, move Zac Gallen up

Sep 11, 2024, 8:30 PM

Zac Gallen #23 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches in the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on July 20, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

(Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

BY ALEX WEINER

Diamondbacks reporter, ArizonaSports.com editor

PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks will tweak their starting rotation this weekend against the Milwaukee Brewers, using Thursday’s off day to move Zac Gallen up while giving Brandon Pfaadt an extra day of rest.

Pfaadt was in line to start Friday, followed by Eduardo Rodriguez and Ryne Nelson.

Rodriguez will now start the series opener, Pfaadt on Saturday and Gallen slides into Sunday to face the club Arizona eliminated in the NL Wild Card Series last October. Nelson’s next start appears to be set for Colorado next week.

Manager Torey Lovullo explained club discussions were ongoing to map out the rotation for the final two-plus weeks of the regular season, which ends on Sept. 29 against the San Diego Padres. Lovullo said the D-backs have taken deep dives into matchups to set up the rotation in a pennant race. Arizona entered Wednesday in the second wild card spot.

“There were some adjustments that were made, and then it could splinter and change depending on which direction our season goes,” Lovullo said pregame Wednesday.

“If there’s potential to clinch early, clinch late, how do we want to line it up? If there’s a potential postseason, all that stuff. I remember what we did last year. We had a couple different plans. We had to go full throttle through the whole thing. And then we even had Merrill (Kelly) pitch on the last day, which opened it up for Pfaadt to start Game 1 in Milwaukee. We like all of our options, but Zac and Merrill are clearly the guys we want pitching the most.”

Gallen is coming off back-to-back scoreless outings against the San Francisco Giants and Texas Rangers. Kelly threw seven two-run frames in San Francisco and followed that gem with four innings on Wednesday before right hamstring cramping knocked him out. Lovullo said he does not expect Kelly’s cramps to keep him out of his next start, even in Colorado.

Pfaadt is approaching a career high for innings pitched (majors or minors) at a team-high 165. Lovullo explained he does not see fatigue as a concern with the 25-year-old but felt giving him rest could do him some good. Pfaadt is the only starter in the five-man rotation to not miss time on the injured list.