Diamondbacks Place Zac Gallen on IL, Recall Slade Cecconi

The D-backs made a couple of expected roster moves ahead of tonight's game.

May 30, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen (23) pitches in the first inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports | Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The Diamondbacks announced that they have placed right-handed ace Zac Gallen on the 15-day IL with a right hamstring strain. To account for his slot in the rotation, young right-hander Slade Cecconi was recalled from Triple-A Reno.

Gallen exited last night's game against the Mets after just six pitches, allowing a base hit to Francisco Lindor and throwing just one pitch to DJ Stewart. He left with a trainer, and the team quickly announced his injury as a right hamstring strain.

This incident occurred just over a month after an issue with the same hamstring in a start against the Seattle Mariners on April 26th. Gallen left that game after five innings, and his next start was pushed out until May 7th, but no time was spent on the IL.

Gallen returned to Arizona to have an MRI and further evaluation, and although the results have not yet revealed the specificities of the injury, the ace will officially be out of commission for at least a couple rotations.

Arizona can ill-afford to lose yet another starting pitcher, with both Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez still in the thick of their own recoveries. Gallen has pitched to a solid 3.12 ERA and 60/15 K/BB, and he's helped keep the D-backs afloat in their pitching scarcity.

Cecconi's numbers are less glamorous, as his first stint in the majors this season saw him go 1-4 over six appearances (five starts), with a 6.12 ERA. Oddly, the right-hander was historically excellent the first time through the order, but displayed a tendency to get shelled as the game progressed into later innings.

He was optioned back to Triple-A after a rough five-inning, six-earned run appearance against the Dodgers, in which he was suspected to have been tipping pitches. He's pitched well in Reno, with a 3.38 ERA and 32 strikeouts over 26 2/3 innings, but the D-backs will need him to buckle down and get deeper into major league games until their reinforcements can arrive.