Zac Gallen Speaks on New Sponsorship, His Off-season, Outfits, Getting Recognized, and His Mount Rushmore of Music

Jake Oliver | Mar 27, 2024

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen throws during spring training workouts at Salt River Fields / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY

Zac Gallen is the Ace of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitching staff. He's getting his second start on Opening Day and joining an exclusive club of D-backs pitchers that have made more than one Opening Day start by becoming the 7th ever to do so. This off-season, Gallen partnered with Shamrock Farms and their Rockin' Protein drink which fits with his nickname being "The Milkman." Zac Gallen spoke about his new relationship with Shamrock Farms, his offseason, March Madness with his favorite team, UNC, his Mount Rushmore of Rappers, and his great outfits. To allow Gallen to directly speak to everyone, his responses are being provided in full length and have been lightly edited. This was so Zac Gallen could have the chance to have his voice completely heard.

Why did you partner with Rockin' Protein?

"For me, they came to me this offseason, was able to try the Rockin' Protein drink, and for me, the taste is the biggest thing. A lot of the other protein drinks out there have that chalky aftertaste. The team's been great. The taste with the Shamrock Farms' milk is next-level so I was super excited to partner with them and I think it's going to be a great partnership on both ends."

What is the "Gallen Gallon" and your favorite flavor?

"I'm a chocolate guy. We got vanilla, we got strawberry out there too but I got a little bit of a sweet tooth so I'm sure going to be slugging a lot of that chocolate. The protein in it is going to be able to help get through this long season. You know, it's a marathon, not a sprint. I'm super excited to be able to get this in my diet and I think it will be able to take me to the next level."

"We got a gallon, 320 grams of protein. Building off my last name, the Gallen Gallon is something we cooked up so I'm excited for that. It's going to hit shelves on April 1st nationwide at your local supermarkets, convenience stores. We're excited. Obviously, you have to drink it responsibly though. I don't know if I'd advise you to drink 320 grams of protein in one shot so it gives you the ability to be able to pour out as much serving as you want whether that's half a glass, full glass, whatever. I'm excited about that."

What are your thoughts on UNC in the March Madness Tournament? Did you fill out a bracket and how's it faring? Think UNC wins it all?

"The Heels have had a strong season from start to finish, or it's not finished yet but so far they've looked great. I'm hoping they take care of business with Alabama here on Thursday. They've been awesome so far. They're doing solid for my bracket. When they get to the next round and U of A gets there, it's going to be a house divided for us here. I'm excited, hopefully, the Heels make their way to Phoenix [for the Final Four]. Unfortunately, we're going to be on the road but we'll be cheering them on from afar."

"I have UNC beating Purdue in my one bracket. I want to say I have all my Final Four left. I think I have my entire Elite-8 left so far so we're in great shape so far. My other bracket that I had, I think Purdue is going to be a solid team but I went just underdogs and stuff like that and I think I got two of the Final Four left. That things in shambles."

Did you travel anywhere during the off-season or stayed close to home?

"We stayed local for the most part. My girlfriend and I took a trip to Aspen for just a long weekend up there. I'd never been up there, just to kind of hang out, see what that was all about. [Did] not much with the season being a little longer this year, kind of had to find that balance between downtime and relaxation and getting some vacation, but also getting back to work with losing a whole month there so not too much, just doing a lot of local stuff. Went back to New Jersey a little bit for the holidays but it was a pretty low-key offseason for us this year."

You've spoken before about being recognized around town, what's the most interesting spot you were recognized around Phoenix this off-season?

"Actually before we were going to Aspen, a lot of my winter clothes were back home in New Jersey so I needed to find a jacket or some boots, I forget what exactly I was looking for, I think it was a jacket. And we were at the mall and nobody had said anything for about 45 minutes so I was like 'Oh this is perfect'. We were on a weekend so I'm like 'This is weird' like people had been coming up to us every time we left the house, somebody said something so I'm like 'This is too good to be true really' and we were there about 45 minutes and then sure enough we get down to one side of the mall. Somebody recognized me and for the next 45 minutes, I would say, I was trying to shop and find some clothes and I had kids coming up trying to take pictures with me and all this stuff. I mean it was great, it was a lot of fun just to see them showing support but yeah that was the most interesting experience because of just how long it had gone on. Any other time someone recognized us out to dinner or whatever, they were very respectful. Waited until either before dinner when we were waiting to get our table or after they'd say something, but yeah none, no experience had gone on that long and I think it kind of caught us off-guard. We weren't really expecting it."

Keeping the same walkout music and who is your Mount Rushmore of music?

"There will be no change. There hasn't been a change since my freshman year of college. That's been my walkout song ever since I played somewhere where you could get a walkout song. We're going on ten years now, Let the Beat Build. Personally, for me, Lil Wayne would be on my Mount Rushmore, especially like going back to The Carter III, No Ceilings, like all of his mixtapes from 2007, and 2010. Lil Wayne definitely up there for me."

"I would probably say Lil Wayne, in no particular order, it'd be Lil Wayne, Kanye, it'd be hard, ignorant not to put Drake up there. He's been doing it for so long. And, probably Chance the Rapper would be my fourth. I know it wouldn't be The Mount Rushmore but that's my top four I'd say, Chance or Pusha T would be my 4A, 4B."

Do you have a set pregame meal or food you eat every time before starting a game?

"No, I don't. I never got into the superstition of a meal. You know, you never know where you're gonna be and for the most part, I feel like the meals you'd have access to are fast food, places that would be around, you can find them everywhere, whether you're on the road or whatever so I try to stay away from that. Just never really got into it. I'll say that Franco, one of the chefs for our team, makes a really good burrito so if I had a pre-game meal that I had eaten more than others, it would be a carne asada burrito that he's whipping up in the clubhouse but I don't have it every game. Just whenever we're home and he's feeling generous enough to make a burrito, I'll eat one."

You are known for your outfits on the field and was named to MLB's All-Fits list, will there be any custom outfits this season?

"Yeah, I'm working on some cleat ideas right now. I'm a big Jordan guy so potentially throwing some cleats on some different Jordans, some cool Colorways and yeah the MLB Fits was a cool honor to get this year. I feel like I was putting together some good outfits to finally be recognized in that sense was pretty cool so we're going to see if I can keep it going and double up on another nomination but it's a cool way for me to kind of express myself. I like putting together good outfits. I feel like I always could dress even as a little kid so now finally being able to throw some different things in there and be a little adventourous, it's fun to me."