When a former Cy Young contender suddenly becomes a liability, it's time to take notice. That's exactly the situation unfolding for the Arizona Diamondbacks and right-hander Zac Gallen, who has gone from ace to weak link in the span of two seasons.

Through nine starts this year, Gallen sits at 1-4 with a bloated 5.65 ERA. He's struck out just 29 batters while walking 14—numbers that would have been unthinkable back in 2022 and 2023, when he finished in the top five of Cy Young voting and earned an All-Star nod. Last season was the first sign of trouble, as he went 13-15 with a career-high 4.83 ERA over 33 starts. That performance cost him the long-term contract he was seeking in the offseason.

Instead of a multi-year deal, Gallen returned to Arizona on a one-year, $22.025 million contract—essentially a "prove it" deal. So far, he's proving the wrong things. If this trend continues, he could be looking at another short-term contract this winter, with even less security.

Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller recently highlighted Gallen as a player who desperately needs to "break out." Miller noted, "It sure would be swell for the Diamondbacks if this impending free-agent starting pitcher could get his ERA down below 5.00. If Gallen did turn things around, maybe it would anchor a comeback from what is currently a sub-.500 mark. But if it didn't, at least they would be able to get something decent in return if they put him on the trade block. In his current state, fresh off a 7 ER dud in Texas, that might not be the case."

The month of May has been especially brutal for the 30-year-old. In three starts this month, Gallen is 0-3 with a staggering 10.67 ERA and has already surrendered four home runs. He's not alone in the rotation's struggles—Merrill Kelly (7.62 ERA) and Ryne Nelson (5.40 ERA) have also underperformed—but Gallen's fall from grace is the most alarming.

With time still left to turn things around, the question remains: can Gallen rediscover the form that made him one of baseball's most feared arms? Or is this the new normal for a pitcher whose stock is dropping by the start?