Good News on Gallagher’s Rehab

Sean Gallagher had his first rehab appearance earlier this week in Triple-A, and he actually got the start, working four innings.

They were good innings, too. Four hits, one run, three strikeouts.

And no walks.

That’s significant, of course, because Sean Gallagher has walked seemingly everybody with the Padres this year. The big righty issued 13 free passes in 13 innings. He struck out 12, which would normally be nice, but not next to those walks.

And thus, a 6.92 ERA is born.

If Gallagher’s toe injury is what was giving him command issues, then great, it looks fixed, and maybe now he can be the pitcher I’ve been expecting him to be for years.

Gallagher still has a solid low-90’s heater and a trio of offspeed pitches, highlighted by a big curveball in the low 70’s that rates as a plus pitch. And he’s still just 24; we talk about him like a veteran, but that’s only because he first came up with the Cubs at age 21 in 2007.

Here’s hoping Gallagher’s early injury and command issues are behind him, and he’s a solid contributor going forward.