UNC Baseball: Diamond Heels in the Pros Update 4/6/2023
By Jordan Falls
The MLB Season is just over one week into its start of a 162-game season. Let’s take a look at how former UNC baseball players started the season.
Former UNC baseball players have been playing for a week now. While UNC doesn’t have many guys in The Show at the moment and it’s still early in the season, let’s see how the guys who are at the MLB level started their 2023 season.
Zac Gallen: Zac Gallen got the ball for the Arizona Diamondbacks on opening day. Unfortunately, he faced a tough Los Angeles Dodgers squad. Gallen pitched 4.2 innings for the Diamondbacks, giving up 4 runs on 6 hits. He did strike out seven guys.
Gallen pitched again on April 4th vs the San Diego Padres. He went 6 innings giving up 7 hits and 4 runs while striking out three batters. Gallen didn’t get a win or a loss in the game thanks to the Diamondbacks scoring 4 in the top of the eighth to take the lead.
The next time Gallen is projected to take the mound for the D-Backs will be Monday, April 10th vs the Milwaukee Brewers.
Jacob Stallings: Jacob Stallings has played in four of the seven Miami Marlins’ games so far this season. Stallings has struggled from the plate early in the season. He has one hit in eleven at-bats and two walks. Defensively, he’s allowed two stolen bases. The Marlins are 3-4 and return to the diamond on Friday, April 7th against the Mets before heading to Philadelphia for a three-game series with the Phillies.
Stallings did make an appearance on the mound for the Marlins in the last week. On April 3rd, the Marlins trailed the 10-1 in the ninth inning. To avoid using another bullpen arm, the Marlins brought Stallings in to pitch the final inning. He pitched one inning and recorded two outs before giving up one homerun.
Daniel Bard was initially scheduled to begin the season with the Colorado Rockies, but instead started the season on the 10-day IL.
NEWS: #Rockies closer Daniel Bard is starting the season on the injured list with anxiety. He’s decided to be open and honest about what he’s going through instead of trying to hide it.
— Danielle Allentuck (@d_allentuck) March 30, 2023
He had the yips earlier in his career and spent seven years out of the majors.
Patrick Saunders with the Denver Post reported on Saturday that Bard threw a bullpen session.
Bud Black said that RHP Daniel Bard threw a bullpen session on Saturday. Bard's fastball hit 96 mph. Bard's on IL as he deals with anxiety. #Rockies
— Patrick Saunders (@psaundersdp) April 2, 2023
Bard will be eligible to return off the 10-day IL on April 10th, but it is unknown at the time if he will stay on the IL or not.
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