MLB WORLD SERIES: DIAMONDBACKS VS RANGERS

October 31, 2023

Zac Gallen

Chase Field

Arizona Diamondbacks

Pregame 4 Press Conference

Q. Is there anything you can pinpoint there in those last few innings of that first start that you feel like maybe you found compared to the Phillies series?

ZAC GALLEN: Nothing I could necessarily pinpoint exactly. Just my delivery probably felt a little bit more comfortable. Just got my body into spots where I could repeat the delivery and execute pitches, really. I think that's what it came down to.

Q. How would you describe the relationship that you and Merrill have? And has that developed at all in the last couple of seasons as you two have kind of become the mainstays and guys that are top of the majors in terms of pitching?

ZAC GALLEN: Yes, Merrill is the first guy I really became friends with here when I got here in '19. I think it speaks to Merrill as a person. He's welcoming. He's trying to make everyone feel comfortable.

And kind of as we've gotten further along in our careers, we've kind of been able to blend the knowledge we both have of seeing each other each day and what we know makes each other tick and what doesn't work for us.

Us having lockers next to each other, we kind of shoot the breeze and trade secrets and whatnot when it comes to pitching and things like that. It's been a help to me for sure.

Q. I'm wondering if you see at all kind of the easy comparison is the first Diamondbacks team since 2001, the Schilling-Randy Johnson, two guys at the top of the rotation, whether you guys ever discuss things in terms of a duo together?

ZAC GALLEN: Not necessarily. I think Merrill would probably tell you similar to me that it's humbling to be mentioned in a similar fashion as that. But I think he would also tell you, just as I would tell you that I don't think we're anywhere near those guys just yet. I think we still have a lot left to prove.

But just to be in that sentence to even think about that is humbling, for sure. But we just come to the field to try to do our job every fifth day, really, and try to give the team a chance to win.

Q. What's it been like to pitch in front of this defense all season? And how much of an impact do you think your team's defense has had in why you're here?

ZAC GALLEN: I think it's been the last two years, really. I think last year, I'm going to guess that -- they take a lot of pride in their defense -- and I think last year we started to see as a team how good we were defensively. And this year I think we realized it was an edge for us and it was kind of part of our identity. I think we really lean into it.

And just from a pitcher's standpoint, just knowing that those guys, there's eight guys behind you that are going to more often than not help you save runs with their legs, with their glove, whatever it is, is definitely a huge weight off our shoulders, especially with the guys we had patrolling the outfield and how big that space is out there, for them to take away doubles or singles into doubles, whatever it is. It's immense, for sure.

Q. When it comes to pitching this late into October and this sort of workload, what are the challenges to keeping the body fresh, considering maybe this time of year you might not be throwing the ball? How does the preparation change leading up to a start?

ZAC GALLEN: For me, I'm treating it just like it's May, honestly. And I don't know, hopefully this isn't the first -- hopefully this isn't the last time I'm experiencing this and this heavy of a workload, this late of a workload.

But for me I'm still trying to get better each day, really. I just threw like a 35-pitch bullpen yesterday, where I think some people might try and taper it off, keep that in the 20s or whatever it is. But I'm still trying to work on things, still trying to get better.

So for me, I don't know, I'm just -- until the final bell rings, I'm going to keep plugging away and keep seeing what the deal is with my delivery and all types of different things, feels and whatnot.

I mean, it's maybe not the greatest thing to be throwing as much as I am. But it's what makes me feel prepared and what eases me mentally.

Q. Couple years ago when the Suns were in the Finals you talked about watching how the city embraced them and the fan excitement and how cool that would be to see on this end. Have you noticed that? What's the last three weeks been like with the way the fans have come out?

ZAC GALLEN: It hit after the Suns fans were chanting "Let's go D-backs" after Game 2, I think I saw it on Twitter. That was really cool.

You saw just kind of the frenzy that the Suns created a couple years ago with them going to the Finals, and knowing that this city and the fan base is here. And we just have to put a good product out there and be successful for them to show up, rightfully so.

But, yeah, it's been really fun. I think I said it last week that I was really proud that we had fans show up on a Thursday game or whatever that day was, the afternoon game against Philly and this place was sold out. That's a huge commitment coming from the city.

And yeah, hopefully we've made them proud so far and have given them a product that they're happy to embrace and a product that they're proud to embrace, really.

Q. What's your opinion of the bullpen game? Would you prefer to have, like, a complementary starters to you guys so that everything fell into place? Or in this day and age does it matter?

ZAC GALLEN: I mean, I think ideally any team, any organization would go, we have five aces that we can throw out there and it helps limit the bullpen. But the way our bullpen has been pitching, it's like having another ace out there.

Yeah, I mean, I think that's just the way the game is going, and we've had some guys that have stepped up and done their job tremendously. And, yeah, I think the bullpen game, with the way our guys have been pitching lately, is kind of in our favor a little bit.

Q. What did you think of Brandon's performance yesterday and just how he's continued to evolve this postseason?

ZAC GALLEN: I thought he looked really good yesterday, too. Obviously one mistake. And I mean, it's Corey Seager. You make the mistake, it is what it is. But I thought he still gave us a chance to win.

He went out there and gave us five and some change. And to limit that offense to three runs is solid, especially from Brandon, from what he's battled this year and just kind of the adversity he's had to go through.

Yeah, I wasn't really surprised, obviously. But yeah, I mean, he's looked just as good as he has in the last couple. You take one pitch back and it's a different game.

But that's the game we play. You just kind of hope sometimes when you make a mistake they hit a foul or pop it up or whatever it is. But, yeah, Corey is hot right now. It just happens.

Q. (Indiscernible) ask a lot of questions?

ZAC GALLEN: He's always to learn for sure. I was sitting next to Mark Melancon in the dugout yesterday and we both just kind of agreed on just the poise, just the presence he has on the mound as a young guy. He looks unfazed out there, which is, it's -- I don't know that you're going to get a lot of people on this stage that young, that early their career that are going to look that calm. It's saying a lot for Pfaadt.

Q. In terms of your preparation and how to attack Corey Seager, what separates him or what stands out about him compared to some of the other great hitters that you've had to face?

ZAC GALLEN: Not to put Corey into the same bucket, as a dis, but it's very similar to a lot of the really great hitters, you have to pick your spots on where you're going to attack. And in spots where he can change the game, you have to be a little bit more careful.

But, he's a guy I've seen now since 2019, and he's gotten -- I mean what's crazy is he's gotten better than he was a few years ago.

I think it's really cool to watch because he was already at the top of the game.

But he's a guy that, just like the other greats in the game, you have to pick your spots, when you're going to attack and when you're going to kind of make him try to hit your pitch and things like that. He's really good.