Arizona Diamondbacks vs Oakland Athletics Picks and Predictions June 29th 2024

Struggling D-backs Staff Gets Zac Gallen Back to Face A’s

Zac Gallen returns from a 30-day absence as the Arizona Diamondbacks face the Oakland Athletics on Saturday in the middle contest of a three-game set in Phoenix.

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Gallen’s Return

Injury and Recovery

Gallen has been sidelined since injuring his right hamstring against the New York Mets on May 30, an injury he sustained on his fifth pitch of the game. Gallen exited one pitch later. This week, he ramped up his progress with a 67-pitch effort in a simulated game on Monday and a bullpen session three days later.

Manager Torey Lovullo hinted about Gallen’s return before Friday’s game:

“It’s probably the worst kept secret in all of Major League Baseball. He should be very ready and don’t be surprised in the next 24 hours he’s our starting pitcher,” Lovullo said, officially announcing Gallen’s return after the game.

Current Season

Gallen (5-4, 3.12 ERA) placed third in National League Cy Young balloting last season after recording career highs for victories (17), strikeouts (220), and innings pitched (210). He also was the NL’s starting pitcher in the All-Star Game. However, Gallen hasn’t found the same groove this season, losing four of six starts prior to the outing in which he was injured against the Mets.

Gallen has a 1.64 ERA in two career starts against Oakland, both no-decisions. Aledmys Diaz is 1-for-6 against Gallen.

Recent Performance of the Diamondbacks

Pitching Struggles

The Diamondbacks are without a doubt pleased to have their top pitcher return. In the last six games, their pitchers have been hit hard, allowing 50 runs and 72 hits. The rival team has recorded 14 hits on three separate occasions in this span, in addition to games with 13 and 11 hits.

Recent Game

When Gallen takes the mound, he will be looking to help Arizona rebound from a 9-4 loss in Friday night’s series opener.

Oakland Athletics’ Recent Performance

Offensive Surge

The Athletics brought their power bats and slugged four homers in the series opener, halting a five-game overall losing streak and an 11-game road skid. Their previous road win came against the Atlanta Braves on June 1.

Tyler Soderstrom hit a tying homer in the eighth inning, and Brent Rooker, Shea Langeliers, and Daz Cameron all smacked homers in the ninth inning.

“The offense swung the bats well,” Oakland manager Mark Kotsay said. “Overall, it was a great game.”

Player Highlights

Light-hitting Zack Gelof had three hits, including the go-ahead triple in the eighth inning. Gelof is batting .256 with five homers in June, raising his average 26 points to .205.

“It was a great night for Zack,” Kotsay said. “He’s been working very hard. The month of June has been a lot better for him than April and May, and he’s finishing up this month very strongly.”

Team Performance

The victory was just Oakland’s fourth in its past 19 overall games, and it continued a bad stretch for the Diamondbacks.

“We’ve got to pitch better,” Lovullo said afterward. “You can’t make assumptions because the Oakland A’s are here that we’re going to beat them three games. That’s a well-run team. They’ve got a good manager with young players that are very enthusiastic.”

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Upcoming Matchup

Starting Pitchers

Left-hander Hogan Harris (1-1, 2.72 ERA) will start for the Athletics on Saturday. Harris, 27, lost to the Minnesota Twins on Sunday, giving up three runs and five hits in six innings. In his previous turn, Harris picked up his first win of the season by holding the Kansas City Royals to three runs (one earned) and four hits over five innings. Harris has never faced the Diamondbacks.

Conclusion

With their ace, Zac Gallen, back in the lineup, the Diamondbacks aim to rebound against a strong Athletics team that just delivered a dominant offensive showing. Both teams have a lot at stake, making this game crucial in the series.