Zac Gallen Returns to Diamondbacks on One-Year Deal
Late Friday night, the veteran right-hander agreed to a one-year contract to return to the Arizona rotation. The guarantee matches the qualifying offer at roughly $22. 025 million, with approximately $14 million deferred, and the move closes the long-running free-agent chapter for Gallen ahead of Spring Training. The transaction was finalized on Feb. 13, 2026 at 9: 23pm ET and remains subject to a routine physical.
Contract structure: a QO-priced, budget-friendly pact
The deal effectively mirrors the qualifying offer that Gallen declined earlier in the offseason but does so with a material portion of the money pushed into deferred payments. That structure softens the immediate payroll hit for the club while giving Gallen the security of a guaranteed, one-year payout. For a team balancing roster construction and payroll flexibility, the deferrals make a one-year return more manageable than a straight cash QO would have been.
Why Gallen's market cooled
Gallen entered free agency with a strong multi-year track record, but a difficult 2025 season greatly reduced his leverage. He logged a career-high 4. 83 ERA and a career-low strikeout rate near 21. 5 percent. Workload concerns stemming from earlier heavy usage — including an especially high innings total in 2023 — combined with a midseason hamstring absence and inconsistent second-half results to give teams pause. Those factors turned what once looked like a potential multi-year payday into a short-term, prove-it opportunity.
Second-half signs of life, and lingering questions
Arizona's decision to bring Gallen back was influenced by his stronger finish to 2025. After a rocky midseason, he posted a 3. 32 ERA over his final 65 innings and delivered quality starts in eight of his last 11 turns. Still, the late surge came with a reduced swing-and-miss profile: his strikeout rate dropped further in that stretch and swinging-strike numbers were among the lowest of his career. A below-average batting average on balls in play helped the surface-level results, leaving uncertainty about whether the improvement will sustain if the chase rate and strikeout ability don't rebound.
Roster and payroll implications for the club
By re-signing Gallen, the team retains a veteran top-of-rotation piece for 2026 but forfeits any compensatory pick it might have received had he signed elsewhere after declining the qualifying offer. The deferred-money component makes the contract easier to manage in the near term, which aligns with a front office that has shown a cautious approach to long-term commitments this offseason. The one-year term preserves flexibility for the club while keeping an experienced arm among the starters as younger pitchers continue to develop.
Outlook for 2026: a reset year for Gallen
The one-year deal functions as a reset for both sides. For Gallen, it is a chance to restore strikeout rates and command over a full season while avoiding the pressure of a long-term contract that might not have materialized after last year’s decline. For the team, it is a low-risk move to stabilize the rotation and buy time to evaluate internal options. If Gallen can recapture a portion of his earlier swing-and-miss ability while staying healthy, he could re-enter next winter’s market with far more leverage. If the struggles persist, the club retains the flexibility to move in a different direction after 2026.
