Padres Have 'Checked In' On Free Agent Zac Gallen

[Steve Drumwright]

With the San Diego Padres still looking to bolster their starting rotation, the team has been connected with a pitcher they have seen a lot in recent years.

That would be right-hander Zac Gallen, a free agent after pitching for the Arizona Diamondbacks since 2019. According to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman, the Friars have "checked in" on Gallen. But Heyman also immediately threw water on the idea by grouping the Padres with the Los Angeles Angels and saying those two teams aren't "big spenders."

Instead, Heyman points to a return to the Diamondbacks as a possibility due to Gallen having a qualifying offer, while the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles would be the other top contenders.

Gallen had a bumpy 2025, with a 4.50 FIP and 4.83 ERA in 33 starts, although he was much better down the stretch, with a 3.32 ERA after Aug. 1.

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