The Arizona Diamondbacks recalled Mitch Bratt to start on Sunday after Zac Gallen was scratched from his next turn and moved to the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. The IL move was made retroactive to July 9, giving Arizona a short-term answer for a rotation spot that suddenly opened up.
Bratt is now the name readers are searching because he is the pitcher who gets the ball in Gallen’s place. The left-hander has already shown enough for another look, throwing three innings of one-run ball against the Cardinals in late June and putting together a 2.41 ERA with a 25.2% strikeout rate in 13 starts at Triple-A this year.
He also arrived in the organization at last year’s trade deadline in the deal that sent Merrill Kelly to the Rangers, which gives this recall a longer arc than a simple emergency promotion. Bratt’s return comes at a moment when the Diamondbacks need innings and are willing to test whether the 2025 acquisition can hold up again at the big-league level.
Gallen’s injury only sharpens the uncertainty around why Arizona had to make this move now. He has stayed close to his usual fastball velocity, but the results have gone sideways anyway: a 6.34 ERA across 19 starts, a career-low 13.9% strikeout rate in 98 innings, and fastballs opponents have driven to a.331 average and.545 slugging percentage. His curveball and slider have both carried a -7 Run Value, and his total Run Value of -19 is among the worst for qualified pitchers.
That gap between stuff and production is what makes the injured-list placement matter beyond one skipped start. The Diamondbacks are not just protecting Gallen for the minimum 15 days; they are also dealing with a pitcher whose season has already been defined by poor pitch outcomes even before the elbow issue surfaced. Arizona said only that Bratt was recalled in Gallen’s place, so Sunday is his assignment for now and the next question is whether the club sees enough to keep him beyond that turn.
For Gallen, the immediate path is simpler and more uncertain at the same time. The retroactive date makes a return possible as soon as the minimum stint is over, but no timetable beyond that was given. If his elbow calms down quickly, Arizona may get him back on schedule; if not, Sunday could be the first sign that the rotation has to cover much more than one missed start.
