Zac Gallen’s pitching resurgence has become a topic of interest following two impressive outings that suggest he may be recovering form after a difficult stretch. His season ERA stood at 5.75 just two starts ago, and over the past year across 33 games, he had posted an ERA of 4.88. Many observers had written him off, assuming he was beyond effective recovery. However, his recent starts against the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres have challenged those assumptions, as he displayed dominant pitching and strikeout ability.

In his outing last week against the Giants, Gallen struck out 10 batters over seven innings while allowing just one run. The momentum continued in the following start on Monday against the Padres, where he produced nine strikeouts over six innings and surrendered only a single unearned run. Notably, the Padres are among the least prone teams in baseball to strikeouts, which makes his performance even more striking.

Improvements in pitch selection and effectiveness

A critical factor behind Gallen’s recent success appears to be his revitalized knuckle curveball, a pitch that has historically been inconsistent for him. Over the two starts, he has strategically placed this pitch just below the strike zone, inducing a high swing rate from batters. Specifically, Gallen generated swings on 54.2% of his knuckle curve throws, despite only 15% landing in the strike zone. This resulted in an impressive 15 swinging strikes from 26 swings during the two outings combined, demonstrating the pitch’s renewed effectiveness.

Nevertheless, relying solely on the knuckle curveball does not explain all of the resurgence since Gallen’s swinging strike rate on this pitch for the entire season is a career-best 43.1%. The improvement extends to his fastball and other offerings as well.

Fastball usage highlights mixed results

During his last two starts, Gallen’s four-seam fastball has produced a 38% Called-plus-Swinging (CS) strike rate, benefitting from his willingness to challenge the strike zone aggressively. He has thrown 62% of his pitches within the strike zone, which has not only increased called strikes but maintained swing-and-miss rates, an important combination for a successful pitcher.

However, there is a concerning trend in the quality of contact against his fastball. The average exit velocity on his four-seamer over these starts registers at a high 95.7 mph, and the overall average exit velocity against him during this span is 95.9 mph. While his elevated strikeout rate of 38% helps mitigate some damage, this level of hard contact is typically unsustainable and could expose him if his strikeouts decline closer to his career average of 26%.

Ongoing challenges despite recent success

Despite the promising signs, Zac Gallen’s pitching resurgence is not without caveats. The hard contact issue and high exit velocities indicate he has not fully resolved all problems that led to his early-season struggles. Yet, these two starts provide the first solid basis for optimism regarding his longer-term potential since April 2023.

For fantasy managers and fans debating whether to rely on Gallen, his recent performance suggests he deserves to be retained as a starting pitcher. If he continues building on these improvements, he could return to being a dependable, must-start option in rotations. However, he is not fully back to his best form quite yet — more consistency will be needed.

Notable waiver-wire pickups for Tuesday

Several players demonstrated noteworthy performances around MLB on Monday, creating interesting waiver-wire options for fantasy and real-life team managers alike.

Janson Junk: Marlins’ surprising starter

Janson Junk, pitching for the Miami Marlins, has emerged as a surprisingly effective starting pitcher despite being owned in only 13% of leagues. His ERA sits at 3.12 after another strong start Monday, aligning with a 2.00 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) that supports his underlying performance. However, some caution is warranted.

Junk has faced mostly weaker offenses, with only the Cincinnati Reds ranking higher than 17th in weighted on-base average (wOBA) against right-handed pitching among his nine opponents. His success partially stems from an unusually high strike zone usage, throwing 59% of his pitches within the zone. This results in a low walk rate of 2.3%, but also means batters are making contact at a high rate. Despite allowing several high-expected batting average balls, Junk has been lucky to convert few into hits.

While Junk’s fastball lacks velocity, he compensates with an 18-inch vertical break caused by a high arm slot. This movement makes the pitch hard to square up, even if it doesn’t generate many swings and misses. Nevertheless, over-reliance on contact management may hurt his ratios moving forward, making him a risky option to hold beyond one or two more starts, such as his upcoming matchup with the Baltimore Orioles.

Colt Keith’s steady rise with Detroit Tigers

Third baseman Colt Keith has made significant strides for the Detroit Tigers in 2025, raising his stock after a somewhat disappointing rookie campaign. Owned in 32% of leagues, Keith produced a 3-for-4 performance Monday against the Tampa Bay Rays that included a home run, two doubles, and two runs scored, pushing his season OPS to .779.

Keith benefits from some degree of protection from the Tigers, who often avoid exposing him to tough left-handed pitchers. His offensive profile suggests he could be outperforming his present stats, as his .329 wOBA trails his .369 expected wOBA. This indicates harder contact and better underlying quality than results show. Keith’s hitting approach favors line drives over pulling the ball in the air, limiting home run potential but supporting a consistent batting average near .280. He is shaping up as a solid contributor in categories leagues.

Yu Darvish’s return to form for the Padres

Returning from an elbow injury, Yu Darvish made his first start Monday for the San Diego Padres, demonstrating much of the effectiveness that made him a top pitcher last season. Though Darvish struggled with command and exited before completing the fourth inning, he recorded 12 whiffs on 63 pitches and limited hard contact.

His velocity returned closer to 2023 levels, and his 3.31 ERA last season suggests he still has value as a fantasy option — provided health and improved command hold. While this start alone isn’t cause for immediate enthusiasm, it signals a positive trajectory for Darvish moving forward.

Kevin Ginkel steps into closer role amid Diamondbacks injuries

With key relievers Shelby Miller, A.J. Puk, and Justin Martinez sidelined on the injured list due to elbow injuries, Diamondbacks’ right-hander Kevin Ginkel may see an increase in save opportunities. Despite his poor 9.00 ERA through 20 innings this season, Ginkel’s prior three-year track record includes a 2.95 ERA over 164.2 innings, warranting some cautious optimism in desperate fantasy situations.

Ginkel closed out the Diamondbacks’ win over the Padres on Monday, allowing only a walk. While this performance won’t inspire confidence on its own, managers needing saves might consider giving him a chance given prior success.

Looking ahead: Can Zac Gallen maintain his improved form?

Zac Gallen’s pitching resurgence offers an encouraging sign for the Arizona Diamondbacks and fantasy baseball supporters after a prolonged period of struggle. While his recent starts demonstrate a return to dominant strikeout ability, the high average exit velocities allowed indicate potential weaknesses that could be exploited if his strikeout numbers regress.

Maintaining consistency and further refining his pitch placement will be crucial for Gallen to translate this recent success into sustainable performance. With his knuckle curve and fastball currently serving him well, continued refinement of his arsenal could help reestablish him as a top-tier starting pitcher.

Other players such as Janson Junk and Colt Keith also highlight how emerging talents and role changes around the league impact fantasy and real-life team strategies. Monitoring their development alongside Gallen’s trajectory will provide deeper insights into MLB’s evolving pitching and hitting landscape this season.

Our Reader’s Queries

Q. Why do they call Zac Gallen the milk man?

A. Fans call Gallen “The Milkman” because he never fails to come through. On Thursday, he provided essential milk to St. Mary’s Food Bank. Gallen joined forces with the food bank to give 2,300 gallons of milk from Shamrock Farms, a local business.

Q. Why is Zac Gallen the milk man?

A. In college at North Carolina, Zac Gallen earned the nickname “The Milkman.” This name came from his last name and his reliable performances.