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Zac Gallen Agrees to Return to Diamondbacks on 1-Year, $22.025 Million Deal

The agreement reflects a market cooled by his 2025 decline, with qualifying-offer penalties deterring suitors.

Overview

  • The deal is pending a physical and had not been officially announced by the team at the time of reporting.
  • Approximately $14 million of the $22.025 million salary is deferred, according to multiple reports.
  • The contract value matches the qualifying offer he rejected in November, highlighting how the QO attachment and recent performance compressed his market.
  • Gallen, represented by Scott Boras, turned down multiyear offers and chose a one-year return in Arizona to rebuild value in a familiar environment.
  • His 2025 line included a career-worst 4.83 ERA and a career-low strikeout rate, and his return bolsters a rotation with Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez, Ryne Nelson and Brandon Pfaadt, with Michael Soroka potentially shifting to a swing role as payroll projections rise toward $195 million and a CBT figure near $223.7 million.