2023 World Series: Diamondbacks name Zac Gallen Game 1 starter

When the Arizona Diamondbacks play in the World Series for the first time in 22 years, it will be right-hander Zac Gallen who takes the hill.

Arizona announced Wednesday that Gallen will be the team’s Game 1 starting pitcher against the Texas Rangers in the 2023 World Series, which will air exclusively on FOX.

Gallen has made four starts for Arizona this postseason, the first of his MLB career. Across those outings (22.1 combined innings against the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies), he has a 5.24 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 13 strikeouts.

The 28-year-old right-hander is coming off a splendid regular season. Gallen, who started for the National League in this year’s MLB All-Star Game, posted a 3.47 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 220 strikeouts across 210.0 innings (34 starts). Arizona will presumably start right-hander Merrill Kelly in Game 2, while Texas is yet to announce its starter for the first two games of the Series.

The Diamondbacks swept the Brewers in the best-of-three wild-card round, swept the Dodgers in the NL Divisional round and then beat the Phillies in seven games in the NLCS. First pitch for Game 1 is Friday at 8:03 p.m. ET.

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