Zac Gallen Explains Why He Turned Down Multi-Year Deals

The Diamondbacks' righty turned down other opportunities to come back to Arizona.

Sep 9, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen (23) throws a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen did not return to Arizona because it was his only option.

In fact, the former All-Star Game starter had multi-year offers on the table, though perhaps his market was not quite as robust as might have been expected.

Gallen turned down the Qualifying Offer from Arizona, only to come back on a one-year deal worth the exact same $22.025 million amount. Arizona's deal, however, features significant deferrals.

And yet, Gallen felt the need to re-sign with the Diamondbacks, for more reasons than one.

"We did have multi-year offers out there, which was nice from the security standpoint," Gallen said. "But I felt like I've always kind of bet on myself. So I was like, 'Let's bet on ourselves.'

"I think I felt like I owed it to myself, owed to my family, even owed it to the organization, the fans here, like come back, have a good year and kind of prove prove my worth again and get that little added extra motivation."

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Gallen said the idea of holding out longer for a larger contract might have been "cutting off my nose to spite my face."

But the right-hander always desired a reunion, if that was on the table. As it turned out, the bottom line dollar amount was less important than the external factors. Gallen and his wife call Arizona home, and he'll get to work with the same coaching staff in hopes of a bounce-back.

"We knew what probably the opportunity cost was going to be going into free agency if a deal didn't work out. So we were willing to take that gamble. And I think we got to a point where it was like, 'Okay, it's time to cut our losses.'"

"We're fortunate enough to make the amount of money we do already. So I think getting greedy in that sense was kind of silly," Gallen said.

He also cited the positive culture manager Torey Lovullo and co. have cultivated in Arizona.

"All the way down, ownership, management, even coaches, the attitudes and the personalities and the people here. That's what really draws you in. And the culture here is a culture that to me, I think, is second to none."

"There's something about growing up here from an adult standpoint and then also from a baseball standpoint. ... How much work, time, effort, blood, sweat, tears like that you put into something that draws you back. There's just something that calls you back here," he said.

Lovullo said seeing Gallen back in a Diamondbacks uniform was a "very comforting feeling."

"It was great to see him," Lovullo said "It's just good to get back into the mix with him and be able to say that he's ours and an Arizona Diamondback."