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Zac Gallen 2023 Player Outlook: Getting It Done With a Lower Strikeout Rate
2 years agoGallen had a career year in 2022, throwing 184 innings and posting a sparkling 2.54 ERA with an elite 0.91 WHIP. He was outstanding in the middle months of the season, throwing 44.1 scoreless innings from early August into September. His strikeout rate was strong but short of greatness at 26.9%, but it did come with a really good 6.6% BB% - putting him above 20% in K-BB%, which is something we love to see. Gallen mostly gets the job done with pinpoint command and deception. None of his five pitches had stunning marks in SwStr%, but he mixes them well and throws them in places that make things difficult for opposing hitters. His arsenal is deep (four pitches thrown above 14% usage), and all of those pitches serve a purpose. Success is nothing new for Gallen, as he had a great stretch in 2019 and was good again in 2021, pitching well when healthy. He is certainly one of the league's better pitchers. His price has been elevated to new heights this year (a top 15 SP), which takes away almost all of the upside - and the lower K% does give us some hesitation on him, but all things considered, Gallen is a fine SP2 pick for a fantasy team in 2023.
