This story was excerpted from Steve Gilbert’s D-backs Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Zac Gallen was named National League Player of the Week for April 10-16 after compiling 13 2/3 scoreless innings over starts against the Brewers and Marlins. The right-hander struck out 18 and walked just one in those starts.

So, after two uncharacteristically so-so starts to open the year, you would think Gallen now feels like he’s right where he put things together and is in a good spot.

But you would be wrong, because Gallen never feels like he’s where he wants to be.

“I’ve put in some quality work to get to this point,” Gallen said. “It’s a good starting point, but I’m not where I want to be. I’m still ironing out the kinks.”

The relentless desire to get better makes Gallen who he is as a pitcher and, regardless of how much success he has, he’s not going to suddenly be content.

“That’s because I’m a feel guy,” Gallen said. “It’s always about feel and being able to repeat my delivery and stuff. So if the feel is not right then I don’t like where I’m at, and the feel is going to be different every day so I think that’s probably where that comes from. Some guys can like ride the wave, but I'm trying to figure out why the wave is going the way that it is so that I can stay on the wave. That’s really just the never-ending pursuit though.”

Last year, Gallen’s pursuit led him to a 44 1/3 scoreless inning streak. He’s still got a ways to go to equal that feat, and the mention of starting another streak drew a big laugh from him.

“You know, it's funny because I actually know I have one as opposed to the last one where I didn't know, until somebody told me about it,” Gallen said. “This one I knew I hadn’t allowed a run in a couple of starts. But when someone said something to me about this one I kind of laughed and was like, ‘Oh, here we go again.’ Hey, it’s better than having a streak of giving up a run every inning you’re out there.”