Pitcher Takes Pay Cut to Stay With Arizona Team He Loves

Zac Gallen was playing golf Friday afternoon when his phone buzzed with the text he'd been hoping for. His agent had news: the Arizona Diamondbacks wanted him back, and a deal was close.

The professional pitcher had spent months in contract limbo, unsure if he'd return to the team and state he's called home since 2019. Multiple teams offered him more money for longer contracts, but Gallen's heart was set on Arizona.

So he got creative. Gallen agreed to a one-year deal worth $22 million with $14 million deferred, allowing the team to manage their budget while keeping their star pitcher. He passed his physical on Saturday and showed up Sunday for the first full team workout of spring training.

"Holding out for an extra few dollars might be cutting off my nose to spite my face," Gallen said. He'd watched teammate Jordan Montgomery struggle after missing spring training the previous year due to late contract negotiations, and Gallen didn't want to repeat that mistake.

Why This Inspires

The reunion seemed impossible just weeks ago. The Diamondbacks had already signed another veteran pitcher, Merrill Kelly, and said they needed to cut costs. Kelly and Gallen are close friends and golfing buddies who joked that the team couldn't afford both of them.

But as winter dragged on without Gallen finding the right fit elsewhere, both sides realized they wanted the same thing. When Gallen offered to accept deferred money, the path forward opened up.

Team president Derrick Hall spent time with Gallen after Sunday's first meeting. "He let us know how much he wanted to be here, he and his wife," Hall said. "He is a D-back, and he's been one of the most successful pitchers in our history."

For Gallen, the decision came down to more than baseball statistics or contract dollars. Arizona is home, the clubhouse feels like family, and sometimes the best opportunities are the ones that let you stay exactly where you belong.

The pitcher who nervously rushed through his final golf holes on Friday is now back where he started, proving that the longest journey sometimes leads right back home.