Diamondbacks Pitchers Thrilled by Unexpected Reunion

Arizona's two top starters are glad to be in the same clubhouse again.

Jul 25, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen (23) looks on before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

When spring training began, Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen did not have a locker in Arizona's clubhouse at Salt River Fields for the first time since 2019. And then, he re-signed with the D-backs on a one-year, $22.025 million deal.

Gallen's old locker is now occupied by third baseman Nolan Arenado — or, as Gallen facetiously referred to him, "the guy with like 94 Platinum Gloves."

"I'm more than happy to defer to him," Gallen said with a good-natured smirk.

More importantly, however, Gallen's new locker is right where it should be: next to friend, golfing buddy and 2026 opening day starter Merrill Kelly. The D-backs' long-time one-two punch were reunited against all odds this offseason.

Neither pitcher expected to see each other in the same clubhouse this year. But here they both are.

"That's my locker-mate for the last seven years," Kelly said. "That's the guy I golf with on the road. ... I think everybody's happy to see him."

"We had conversations, somewhat joking and somewhat not, that he expected not to be here. But I think everybody's thrilled that it worked out the other way."

Kelly was the first of the two to sign. He inked a two-year, $40 million deal early in the offseason, turning down a lengthier offer from the San Diego Padres to return to his hometown club.

Gallen was with Kelly at Alek Thomas' wedding in Mexico when that deal was signed. At the time, it appeared that signaled the end of their time playing together.

"We were excited for them," Gallen said. "We were just kind of hoping, obviously, to still be able to come back, but that was still pretty early in the offseason."

"Going into the offseason, we both kind of knew most likely it would only be one of us coming back, which is the way that we were kind of told how the payroll was going to be structured."

That expectation wasn't just a logical assumption. Owner and managing general partner Ken Kendrick confirmed that bringing both pitchers back was not the initial plan.

"We didn't feel we would likely be able to justify financially bringing both guys back," Kendrick said. "And then the process with Gallen evolved in the marketplace to the point where we were able to do a unique deal."

Gallen's deal is certainly less lucrative than it might have been. $14 million of his $22.025 million is deferred. He, too, turned down multi-year offers from other teams.

Related Content: Zac Gallen Explains Why He Turned Down Multi-Year Deals

It was that "creativity" that was the catalyst for such an unexpected reunion. Gallen's desire to forgo a holdout and start his spring training was stronger than his hope for "a few extra dollars."

Gallen said he wasn't frustrated or bothered by the way his free agency concluded. His deal comes with the bonus of reuniting with Kelly and his other D-backs teammates — rejoining a culture in Arizona he called "second to none."

"[Kelly and I] kind of joked that it might only be one of us, and now we get both of us. So I'll take it as a positive that way," Gallen said.

"He heard the first offer that was made. We were playing golf that day, so we got a chance to talk about it. And then everything just kind of happened pretty quickly, and here I am."

Kelly called getting Gallen back "the best."

"Obviously, what he brings to the team, what he brings to the rotation, it gives us a lot more depth in that area," Kelly said.