SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- In what seemed so unlikely as recently as a month ago, right-hander Zac Gallen will start Opening Day for the Diamondbacks when they take on the Dodgers in Los Angeles on March 26.
It will be Gallen's fourth straight Opening Day nod and the most unlikely of the bunch.
That's because after becoming a free agent and turning down Arizona's qualifying offer last fall, it seemed all but certain he would be wearing another uniform in 2026.
But thanks to both sides being flexible and creative in their negotiations, Gallen re-signed with the Diamondbacks on a one-year deal four days after Spring Training started.
Arizona manager Torey Lovullo, who waited until the last minute to name Gallen as the Opening Day starter over Corbin Burnes last spring, decided to get a jump on things this year and gave the honor to Merrill Kelly.
A back issue, though, put Kelly behind schedule and the team is uncertain whether he will be on the roster come Opening Day or if he will need a short stint on the IL to build up his pitch count. So, Lovullo pivoted and gave the honor to Gallen prior to Wednesday's spring game against the Athletics at Salt River Fields.
"Zac has done a lot right for this organization," Lovullo said. "I just feel like Zac deserved it. I know it wasn't a pristine year for him last year, but he battled, he fought, he showed some resilience in the second half of the season. Got himself on the right track, and he chose the Arizona Diamondbacks again. So, I'm glad for that."
The decision was bittersweet for Gallen, because he knows how important the start was to Kelly and how badly his good friend wanted to be the one on the mound for his hometown team.
"I know what it means for me personally to start Opening Day, so I can't imagine what it means for him being a local guy and finally getting an opportunity, and then just having the unfortunate circumstance of not being healthy enough," Gallen said. "So, I feel for him in that sense."
Gallen knows firsthand what it's like to lose an Opening Day start to injury.
In 2022, Lovullo named Gallen to start the opener, but he cut his right thumb while trying to fix his sprinkler system at home and Madison Bumgarner got the nod instead.
Still, four openers are a lot for one pitcher on one team.
"Just kind of puts into perspective how long I've been here," Gallen said. "It's not something I take lightly just because I understand it's a pretty big honor [to be] given the trust this many times. I mean, I know some people probably who don't think I deserve it. It is what it is. You go out there and have a better year this year and try to have a little bit better results."