NL DIVISION SERIES: DIAMONDBACKS VS DODGERS

October 8, 2023

Zac Gallen

Dodger Stadium

Arizona Diamondbacks

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. I know you haven't played for any other big league manager, maybe one other one, but what's it like playing for Torey? What are his strengths as a manager?

ZAC GALLEN: I've played for Mattingly in Miami. I wasn't there very long. Just to kind of -- I think the good thing about Torey is that as a young guy, he -- I mean, at least for me, he kind of trusts me with a lot of things that probably a young guy doesn't get trusted with.

And I think he saw the bigger picture and that was his kind of laying the ground work for getting to later in my career and trying to instill some leadership qualities in the sense of -- all the things of trying to become a veteran at a young age, really.

And I think he lets guys be themselves. I think that's the biggest thing. He's not necessarily from the old school of things need to be done a certain way. If you're getting your job done and you're doing what you need to do, he's going to let you do what makes you feel comfortable.

But if things get out of line, stuff like that, I'll put a stop to it. But if you're performing and you're being respectful, other than that, be yourself, have fun. He tries to make the game easy on guys.

Q. Beyond the typical jokes of, hey, save some runs for me for Monday, when you look at a game like that where there's so many runs scored for Merrill, the support, curious your take on what it's like pitching with that much run support versus being in a tight game. Is there any difference in your approach in how you attack hitters in that situation?

ZAC GALLEN: Not necessarily. I'm trying to go out there and pitch like it's 0-0 whether we're up 10-0 or not. My job is to throw up zeros. I think pitchers can tend to fall into a little bit of a lull when there's a huge lead out there.

Short answer is my approach doesn't really changed that much. I'm trying to go out there and stay on the attack. I think there's some spots where you can tend to be even a little bit more efficient and get in the zone earlier, but for the most part I'm treating it like it's 0-0.

Q. Looking ahead to tomorrow, do you think you found anything in those last five innings in Milwaukee feel-wise that you can carry over into that start?

ZAC GALLEN: It's been a season-long kind of just, I guess, you could say just grind making sure that feel feels how I want it to. But you can bring so many things into the game, but there's nothing you can replicate to get out there with the adrenaline -- runners on base, guy standing in the box, stuff like that.

But I felt all right going into the game in Milwaukee. Felt like some timing things clicked. So it's kind of what my focus is right now.

Q. When Torey was in here earlier, he said you guys are playing with a chip on your shoulder, talking about when you guys beat Milwaukee, there should be re-seeding, you should be playing Atlanta, that sort of thing. Do you agree that the team is playing with a bit of a chip on its shoulder this postseason?

ZAC GALLEN: I would say so. I would venture to say that other than the 26 guys, 28 guys in that clubhouse, I don't know anyone else thinks that we should be here, thinks that we deserve to be here.

So, yeah, I think the guys in the clubhouse know it's a good team. And I think anyone who has been following baseball knows we're a good team. We hit a little bit of a skid in the second half, you could call it.

But I think it's definitely a team that's probably overlooked. I definitely think a chip on the shoulder is probably a good way to summarize it.

Q. Let me know your mindset going into Game 2 ahead by one. Does that add more pressure knowing that the Dodgers are going to come out firing, or does that give you a little ease going into Game 2?

ZAC GALLEN: I don't think either, honestly. I think going in with ease is definitely the wrong mindset, especially against the Dodgers, especially against that lineup. Like you said, they're going to come out firing. But I also don't think there's pressure.

I think I said it in Milwaukee, like I said, nobody expects us to be here. We're kind of playing with house money. You see us play our best baseball when we're playing kind of easy, carefree. And I think that's just the mentality I'll have out there, the mentality of the other 26 guys are going to have too.

So, yeah, I don't think it's either, to be honest with you.

Q. Do you like having that underdog mentality and just people overlooking you and going to the playoffs even though you guys have proved yourself during the season?

ZAC GALLEN: Yeah, I think if you look at any team, they're going to find a way to create some sort of chip. I read stories of Michael Jordan talking about he would craft things that probably never even happened just to fire him up.

I think you just have to find things that are going to motivate you. And for us, there's a lot of guys in there that have definitely been overlooked.

Going back to even Merrill Kelly. I don't think Merrill gets enough respect on what he's done in his career, especially the last two years.

And I think there's a lot of guys, even young guys, that have things to prove that some people think, oh, they haven't been in the big leagues very long or whatever. I think there's a lot of guys that are trying to prove that they belong and that they're going to be mainstays in this game, for sure.

Q. Just curious, sort of along the lines of what you were saying about playing with ease and kind of what you guys have been doing so far in these games, what have you seen specifically from the young guys -- Alek and Corbin and Gabby -- and how they've taken to this stage so well?

ZAC GALLEN: I think it's guys that believe in their preparation. I also think it's guys that know their talent and believe they should be here, honestly.

I don't think it's a shock to them that they're succeeding at this type of stage, this type of level and this early in their career, honestly.

And I think it's obviously easier said than done, but I honestly think those guys expect to be here, expect to succeed, expect to excel. So I think it's kind of just really what it is.