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D-backs stars back on the diamond as they prepare for 2024 season

Arizona's top two pitchers made their first starts of spring training this week and a key player returned to the diamond after an injury scare.

SURPRISE, Ariz. — Arizona Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen wears number 23 but there were twos across his stat line for his 2024 Cactus League debut on Thursday against the Texas Rangers at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona. 

Gallen gave up two runs on two hits in two innings of work, he walked two batters and recorded two strikeouts in what ended up being a 7-5 loss to the defending World Series champions.

"I think I got some good work in," Gallen said. "I feel like the stuff I’d been working on translated. Obviously, not in midseason form but there wasn’t really a lot of hard contact and I feel like I had solid command, so, solid for the first one."

D-backs manager Torey Lovullo told reporters before Gallen’s outing that he'd be watching for his fastball command, his location and swings and misses in the zone, among other things.

"During the baseball season, he wants to get every one of those," Lovullo said. "Every time he’s got someone with two strikes, he wants to strike them out. Every time he’s making a quality fastball pitch, he expects to land it. Does that happen today every time he throws a baseball? Probably not. But it’ll be a handful of really good moments and that’s what we’re going to continue to capitalize on."

Arizona first baseman Christian Walker returned to the lineup a week after being hit on his right hand by a pitch during a game. The injury was ruled a contusion, a relief to Lovullo and Walker. The Gold Glover described how the swelling made the injury appear worse than it was.

"It’s an old surgery site from a fracture in high school and I think it swelled up and got so ugly initially that it blew up some of the scar tissue in there," Walker said. "Because the look of it, I wasn’t very confident that something wasn’t broken, or something wasn’t messed up. Once all the swelling went down and we got the images back everything fell into place so, all good."

Both Walker and Gallen were among the players to sign extensions with the Diamondbacks back in January. Walker, who has been with Arizona since 2017, will earn $10.9 million this season. Lovullo shared how even though Walker was banged up for a few days of spring training, he remained locked in with his team.

"The thing about (Walker) was that even though he was unable to participate, he was following his group around," Lovullo said. "The individual defense, the team defense, [he’s] just a true team leader in that area. He didn’t miss much, emotionally. Fundamentally he did but he was engaged, and I feel like he’s going to step right in and pick up where he left off. But, very thankful nothing bad happened to him."

On Friday afternoon, Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly took the mound for the first time this spring at Salt River Fields. Kelly looked solid in two innings of work against the Chicago Cubs, going six up and six down with no walks and three strikeouts on 21 pitches. The Desert Mountain High School and Arizona State product picked up right where he left off after a strong showing in his first postseason run all the way to the World Series.

"What I did in the World Series is great," Kelly said. "It was a lot of fun and I'm proud of myself for doing it but I think if I let that creep into my mentality moving forward, I think I'm probably doing myself a disjustice. As proud as I am for doing that in the playoffs, I think if I come out and don't perform well or don't do well... For me, moving forward it doesn't mean much."

The Diamondbacks make another trip to Surprise Stadium in the West Valley on Saturday when they face the Kansas City Royals. The first pitch is set for 1:05 p.m.

Follow the conversation with Lina Washington on X/Twitter: @LWashingtonTV. If you have a sports story idea, email Lina at LWashington@12News.com

Arizona sports 

The city of Phoenix is home to five major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks and NHL's Arizona Coyotes.

The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale. The Coyotes play at Mullett Arena on ASU's Tempe campus.

Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.

The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.

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