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Diamondbacks 8, Minnesota 16: Gallen Saved the Bullpen

The musk oxen are getting peckish.

God, what an utterly stupid game. Zac Gallen was going for us. Turns out it didn’t matter who was going for the Twins, though for the record it was Taj Bradley. Our Mr. Gallen really outdid himself tonight, though. His ERA was was sitting at a cool 5.35 at the start of the game; it was 6.10 by the time he checked out with no outs in the fifth. Yilber Diaz made his debut in relief, and recorded two outs, and by the time he hit the showers, his ERA had reached 94.50 for the season so far. So yeah. It was like that.

Basically, it was garbage time the whole way through. Okay, maybe not through the first three innings—Gallen gave up two in the first, to make it 2-0 Minnesota, but then actually recorded two quick, clean innings in which he only threw 17 pitches total. But he got nickel-and-dimed in the bottom of the fourth, as the Twins started the inning with a strikeout followed by five straight singles before Gallen recorded the second out, and then there was a sixth single and a walk before the frame finally ended with four more runs having crossed the plate and the Twins batting around to bring the score to 6-0 Minnesota.

For whatever it was worth, Gallen was only at 72 pitches at that point, and most of us in the Gameday Thread had come into the game simply hoping that Gallen would eat some innings since last night we wound up using eight relievers. But Gallen came out for the fifth, gave up a triple and two singles on nine pitches, and Torey Lovullo made the choice to pull him. In came Yilber Diaz, fresh off the bus from Reno, and things really didn’t get any better. Diaz surrendered a single, a walk, and a Byron Buxton grand slam before recording the first out of the inning, and then three more singles, a double, and yet another triple before finally being pulled after only recording two outs total and allowing Minnesota to bat around on him alone. His seatmate on the bus up from Reno this morning, Philip Abner, took over and finally recorded the third out of the inning, but not before ten more runs had crossed the plate. 16-0 Minnesota

Then it really was garbage time, of course, with both teams swapping out their starters to give their bench players some at bats. Our boys made the most of ours and made the box score look a little bit respectable at least if you didn’t drill into the details. Adrian Del Castillo led off the fifth with a single, and scored two pitches later on Jorge Barrosa’s second home run of the season to narrow the gap to 16-2 Minnesota. We got five more back in the seventh thanks to Twins reliever Justin Lawrence, who walked four batters and then gave up a double and a single to get us to 16-7 Minnesota. Barrosa doubled to lead off the eighth and was driven in by Tommy Troy’s RBI single to cap the scoring at 16-8 Minnesota.

On the upside, at least, Abner pitched three scoreless innings in total, before giving way to Ildemaro Vargas—who wasn’t even in the lineup to start the game—and Ildemaro pitched the last five outs in a deeply silly relief appearance that saw his velocity range from a 71 mph fastball to a bunch of submarine eephus pitches that barely hit 31 mph on the radar gun. But hey, it meant that Gallen (and Diaz, to be fair, who threw 44 pitches in his 2/3 of an inning, and is surely going to boarding the next bus back to Nevada) did their jobs in saving the bullpen. So there’s that.

Loss Probability Added, courtesy of FanGraphs

No Cows Were Harmed In the Manufacture of this Product: Zac Gallen (4 IP, 12 H, 9 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, -31% WPA)

Nobody but Tommy Tory and Ketel Marte added even a couple of percentage points in the positive. But let’s face it with Gallen at this point….it’s no longer a question of sour milk or chunky milk. There’s simply no milk left in the carton anymore. Just an empty cardboard carton with a sad “Have You Seen Me” picture on the back of a curly-haired guy with glasses that, if your memory is long enough, you might just recall.

Somewhat hilariously, however, for such a wretched game, we had a stunning turnout in the Gameday Thread, with a whopping 396 comments at time of writing. Also, because I was curious and also because I may have been putting off getting started on writing up this utter sh**show, I scrolled down through the whole thread and counted up the comments that had turned Sedona Red. It turns out there were 95 of them that made the cut, which I guess tells you that Snakepitters’ generosity with recs truly comes out when things are at their darkest (or stupidest, or whatever). I mean, that’s nearly 25% of all posted comments, which is nuts. To be fair, our gallows humor game was necessarily mighty tonight, and there were many, many hilarious comments, because we are an awesome community and I love us.

Anyway, the Comment of the Game needs to go to someone, I suppose, especially with so many eligible comments to choose from. I did kinda promise it to Snake_Bitten, provided it went Red, which it did. It didn’t get nearly the most popular acclaim, but the sentiment captured so perfectly my feeling, and I suspect that of many others, when LuJames Groover finally grounded out to third for the final out in the bottom of the ninth, that I feel perfectly good about this choice:

Myself, I think I might have wanted to kill somebody if this ordeal had dragged out any longer. So.

Anyway, join us tomorrow if you have the stomach for it, as we go for the series win tomorrow. It’s, somewhat enragingly, the second streaming-service-gated “national broadcast” of the weekend, so if you actually want to watch it you’re gonna have to have or get a Peacock subscription*. Rghthander Mike Parades takes the mound for the Twins, while we are rolling out another rookie tomorrow—AA prospect Jose Cabrera is on a bus from Amarillo as we speak so that he can come to Chase and take the mound for us tomorrow. Because….um….okay? It’s gonna be an earlier start than usual, because Peacock, so first pitch is scheduled for 12:15pm AZ time. Hope to see you in the Gameday Thread.

As always, thanks for reading, and as always, go Diamondbacks!

Spurs make move to beat Manchester City to Premier League starTottenham Open Tonali Talks as Newcastle Face £100m Decision

Tottenham Hotspur’s move for Sandro Tonali has now become more than admiration from a distance. As reported by The Athletic, Spurs have opened talks with Newcastle United over a deal for the Italian midfielder, placing themselves directly into a race that also includes Manchester City.

For Newcastle, this is the kind of transfer story that unsettles a fanbase because it touches one of the club’s core footballing questions. Are they building around elite players, or are they prepared to sell them when the numbers become too persuasive?

Spurs Step Up Tonali Pursuit

Tottenham’s interest has moved into a more serious phase. The Athletic reports that club to club contact has now been made, after earlier discussions had centred on Tonali’s representatives.

That matters. It signals intent. It also places Newcastle in a position where they must decide whether their £100million valuation is a warning sign or a genuine invitation.

Spurs believe several factors may help them. Roberto De Zerbi is said to be pushing for the transfer, while the prospect of London and a significant salary package could appeal to the player.

The phrase that will worry Newcastle supporters is simple enough, “if he leaves St James’ Park.” That possibility now feels active rather than theoretical.

Photo IMAGO

Newcastle’s Midfield Identity at Risk

Tonali’s value to Newcastle cannot be measured only in appearances, goals or assists, although his numbers since returning from suspension are strong. Since August 2024, he has made 110 appearances for the club, scoring 10 and assisting 10.

More importantly, he has helped give Newcastle a midfield identity alongside Bruno Guimaraes. That partnership has become one of the few certainties in a side that finished 12th in the Premier League last season, despite reaching the last 16 of the Champions League.

Selling Anthony Gordon to Barcelona for £69.3m already suggested Newcastle were prepared to reshape the squad through major departures. Losing Tonali as well would feel more profound. Gordon was a weapon. Tonali is part of the engine room.

£100m Question for Newcastle

Newcastle will reportedly seek about £100million to consider selling Tonali, whose contract runs until 2029 with a 12 month extension option.

That gives Newcastle leverage. They do not need to panic. They do not need to accept a reduced fee. Yet modern football rarely deals in pure sporting logic. Financial rules, squad planning and player preference all have a way of turning long contracts into negotiating tools rather than barriers.

Manchester City’s interest is easier to understand. They are a club built to absorb elite midfielders. Tottenham’s pursuit is more intriguing. Spurs are ambitious under De Zerbi, but Newcastle fans may wonder why Tonali would view north London as a definitive step up.

Tonali Decision Could Define Summer

Tonali’s story at Newcastle has already contained more drama than most players experience in a decade. Signed from Milan in 2023 for around £60.5m, suspended for 10 months later that year, then reintegrated as a key figure, he has become both a symbol of resilience and a marker of Newcastle’s ambition.

If he stays, Newcastle keep one of the Premier League’s finest midfielders. If he goes, the club must prove that £100m can be reinvested with precision.

This is no longer a speculative link. Tottenham have opened the conversation. Newcastle now have to decide what kind of club they want this summer to reveal.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

From a Newcastle supporter’s point of view, this report lands awkwardly. Manchester City circling Tonali is one thing. That is the reality of modern football, when the superclubs see a player who can run games, press intelligently and still play with calm under pressure. But Tottenham? That feels different.

Newcastle fans will ask a fair question. Why should Tonali leave St James’ Park for Spurs if the project on Tyneside is supposed to be growing? Yes, London has pull. Yes, De Zerbi has tactical appeal. Yes, wages matter. But Newcastle sold supporters a vision of competing with the elite, not feeding clubs hoping to climb back into that group.

The £100m figure sounds huge, but replacing Tonali is not simple. Newcastle would not only be selling a midfielder. They would be selling rhythm, control and chemistry with Bruno Guimaraes.

There is also an emotional layer here. Tonali’s Newcastle career started with turbulence, yet supporters backed him, waited for him and saw him return as a central figure. That matters.

If Newcastle accept a fee, the replacement must be immediate and elite. Otherwise, this risks feeling like a summer of retreat rather than evolution.

Spain's 0-0 draw with Cape Verde wasn't a problem in and of itself, but it did indicate some issues. - Claudia Greco/Reuters

As the time ticked away at the end of Spain vs. Cape Verde, nerves understandably reached their natural crescendo. The giants of the sport tried to force the issue and anxiously pushed for what they felt was rightly theirs while the brave underdogs valiantly defended as if their lives were on the line.

When referee Adham Makhadmeh blew his whistle confirming the shocking 0-0 draw, Mercedes-Benz Stadium burst with elation at Cape Verde’s jubilant success: The minnows pulled it off. David had bloodied Goliath. The entire world seemed to celebrate the moment – everyone, that is, except for La Roja and its fans.

What will surely be one of the great moments in this World Cup was the result of a bit of luck and a lot of heroic defending, sure, but much of the blame – or credit depending on where you’re standing – lays at the feet of the Spanish contingent.

Spain has more than enough talent on the squad to beat Cape Verde, and despite the absence of two of its best players, the team should have come out on top. But an array of issues ultimately lost La Roja the three points – and more worryingly, point towards some potentially bad habits that could cost this team a chance of lifting its second World Cup.

A worrying performance

To get it out of the way: The draw itself is definitely not the end of the world. In fact, it’s not particularly worrying either as a result. If Spain wins its next two games, it is in all likelihood the group winner.

Also, there is precedent for an early slip up or two not meaning much in recent big tournaments. Argentina won the last World Cup after losing its opener to lowly Saudi Arabia, Portugal won Euro 2016 after sneaking into the knockouts following three draws in the group stage and Spain won the 2010 World Cup after losing its opening match to Switzerland.

The problem, if you’re a fan of La Roja, is pretty much everything but the result.

Rodri was far below his usual self in the match. - Bernadett Szabo/Reuters

The team that won Euro 2024 was dynamic, free-flowing and attack-minded with a very strong midfield and a lot of focus on incredible wide play: particularly from young stars Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams. The absence from the starting lineup against Cape Verde of Yamal, who is slowly being brought back into the rotation following a hamstring injury that ended his club season in late April, and Williams – who also injured his hamstring late in the campaign – was keenly felt as the two young players provide the dynamism and width that this team is built around.

In their place, Spain boss Luis de la Fuente somewhat bafflingly lined up Barcelona duo Ferrán Torres and Gavi as their replacements.

Torres is usually a center-forward and only played 158 minutes across four matches (out of 47) on the right wing in all competitions this season. Gavi recently came back from a meniscus tear that had him out injured for over six months. Additionally, he’s primarily used as a central midfielder for Barça – though he was used on the left wing by Blaugrana boss Hansi Flick for 109 minutes over two matches this campaign – and is not particularly known for game-breaking acceleration or velocity, especially post-knee surgery.

Both played poorly with Gavi failing to provide speed down the flank to break down Cape Verde’s defensive structure and Torres missing several opportunities to put Spain ahead – including one sitter that would have likely opened the floodgates had it not caromed off the crossbar. Torres’ inaccuracy in front of goal has even spawned countless memes on Spanish-speaking social media from frustrated fans and amused neutrals.

Social media went rampant with memes of Ferrán Torres' profligacy in front of goal. - Stew Milne/AP

The other part of Spain’s glorious 2024 squad that shined brightly in that tournament victory was an incredible midfield, but despite carrying over Rodri and Fabián Ruiz from that Euro final win and the addition of a healthy Pedri, it also played way below expectations in Atlanta.

Both the Manchester City man – who seemed particularly slow and not like the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner or even how he ended this past club season – and Ruiz weren’t up to scratch and didn’t provide enough incisive, penetrativepassing to make a difference in the majority of the match, seeming to pass the ball and keep possession for possession’s sake. Evidence of that is starting forward Mikel Oyarzabal becoming the first player on record since the 1966 tournament to fail to touch the ball once in the first 30 minutes against the Blue Sharks, according to Opta Stats.

The lone bright spot from the midfield was the solid presence of Pedri who played out of position and still had a decent all-around performance, but even he was criticized by many on social media for falling into a familiar trap.

Echoes of World Cup disappointments past

The team as a whole felt a step slow and seemed to forget how it played in the European Championship win, opting instead for an almost retro tiki-taka vibe from World Cup failures past (2014, 2018 and 2022). There wasn’t any sort of incisive passing or movement to try to break down the Cape Verde low block – Spain had 734 completed passes, which mostly seemed sideways or backwards – and instead there was plenty of wishful thinking that their African opponents would make a mistake.

Unfortunately for them, they didn’t, and it likely won’t work against better opponents either.

Spanish journalist Miguel Quintana said on his Marca radio show, “The result can lie to you. What never lies is the style of play, and yesterday, Spain stopped looking like the 2024 team and started looking like the Spain of the worst moments of 2022 and 2018. That’s what should worry us and that’s what should worry Luis de la Fuente.”

Aymeric Laporte and the Spanish defense didn't have much to do against Cape Verde. - Buda Mendes/Getty Images

De la Fuente’s lineup to begin Monday’s match seemed almost too confident in a way – a sense of “We are Spain and you are Cape Verde” – putting the aforementioned “wingers” in place instead of better fits like Víctor Muñoz (if fully fit), Yéremy Pino or Álex Baena, and as the match progressed and it was clear things weren’t working out at all, that impression only seemed to confirm itself.

The La Roja boss didn’t react quickly enough to the situation, instead opting for more of the same after the halftime break – rightly or wrongly relying on his mainstay players who largely brought him to this point – and didn’t change anyone until the 71st minute. By that time, it was too late, even with the introduction of Yamal and his clear, immediate impact on the game.

De la Fuente has received a lot of criticism from the media and Spanish fans online for Monday’s performance, and there is a lot of nostalgic pining for former assistant manager Pablo Amo, who left the coaching staff in February 2025 but who many say was the real mastermind of the Euro 2024 squad. However, Amo isn’t coming back and de la Fuente has to adopt more urgency and adjust.

Spain boss Luis de la Fuente was much criticized by the media and Spain fans online for his lineup and failure to adjust to the match. - Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images

In fact, the whole squad has to lock in more. It took France one half of subpar soccer against Senegal to switch gears and begin to play up to its potential – Spain has to do the same.

La Roja needs quicker movement of the ball and its players, more adaptation to what the opponent is doing (Saudi Arabia is not going to play free and open after seeing what worked) and to be more ruthless. Spain hasn’t scored a World Cup goal since Álvaro Morata’s in a 2-1 group stage loss to Japan in 2022, this despite completing 2,500 passes and taking 49 shots, according to the BBC.

Forward Oyarzabal acknowledged post-match that the team will have to adjust things for the rest of the tournament: “We need to stay calm, have confidence in ourselves and look at what needs correcting because I’m sure there are many things to correct from this match and move forward.”

Gavi told AS Thursday, “Cape Verde is not some joke. We weren’t as good as we wished, the speed we moved the ball was slow and we were too heavy with our passes. … We can do things a lot better than we did.”

Defender Marc Cucurella echoed the sentiment Thursday in an interview with El Mundo: “We messed up a bit, we weren’t always doing the right thing, we were a little bit imprecise and, against those teams – when you don’t start well – everything gets complicated.

“We have earned that level of pressure [from the fans] because we’ve been doing things very well these last few years, but we know the level we have, we know we weren’t at our best.

“The good thing is this scare happened in the first game of the groups – if it happens in the knockouts, you’re out. And we have time to fix it. It’s better that what happened with Cape Verde happened now and, bit by bit, we get better.”

Winning the next two matches and finishing Group H as the leader is crucial given a second-place finish would likely mean an unthinkable round of 32 game against Lionel Messi and Argentina. True, you have to beat the best to be the best, but this squad will want to build up momentum before taking on the other tournament favorites.

Of course, there are those saying that the result wasn’t too bad and shouldn’t be overanalyzed. De la Fuente didn’t seem too bothered by the result, saying, “We’re a team with an extraordinary reliability. We haven’t lost in 32 matches. We’ll be better in the next game, for sure. … We’re calm. This is a long tournament, and in our heads we’ve still got seven games left.”

World Cup-winning goalkeeper Iker Casillas said on X: “I thought (Spain) played well. It was one of those matches that happen 1 every 10. … I understand that people have doubts, but this isn’t the case. Relax.”

Perhaps they are right. After all, the statistical domination was quite clear. Spain had 27 shots with seven on target and an expected goals (xG) figure of over 2.1. And Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha had the game of his life.

If circumstances had gone Spain’s way with more clinical finishing or a Cape Verde defender making a mistake, then the result would have been different and a lot of the chatter currently happening (including here) would likely not be happening.

Additionally, it looked like Yamal – in his limited time on the pitch – was near his best. The game turned when he came onto the field in the 71st minute and La Roja finally began looking a bit more threatening overall. If the Barça superstar is on the way to peak fitness and starts games, then a lot of this noise could be moot.

Cucurella, for his part, looked at the result in a positive light.

“I think the best thing that could have happened to us is to get this scare at the beginning. Because if we had won the game, we would have forgotten about it and we would have said, ‘Well, we won, it’s all good,’” he told El Mundo.

“But with the scare, we’ve realized that we have to be at our top level in every match, that it won’t be easy at all, that we will have to overcome difficult moments and that the most important thing is to be united and show up in every match.”

Still, despite the squad’s positivity, the match triggered a lot of bad memories in the minds of Spain fans everywhere ahead of what many thought could be an excellent chance to earn the nation’s second World Cup. Whether La Roja earns another star or comes crashing back down to earth remains to be seen.

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Spain's 0-0 draw with Cape Verde wasn't a problem in and of itself, but it did indicate some issues. - Claudia Greco/Reuters

As the time ticked away at the end of Spain vs. Cape Verde, nerves understandably reached their natural crescendo. The giants of the sport tried to force the issue and anxiously pushed for what they felt was rightly theirs while the brave underdogs valiantly defended as if their lives were on the line.

When referee Adham Makhadmeh blew his whistle confirming the shocking 0-0 draw, Mercedes-Benz Stadium burst with elation at Cape Verde’s jubilant success: The minnows pulled it off. David had bloodied Goliath. The entire world seemed to celebrate the moment – everyone, that is, except for La Roja and its fans.

What will surely be one of the great moments in this World Cup was the result of a bit of luck and a lot of heroic defending, sure, but much of the blame – or credit depending on where you’re standing – lays at the feet of the Spanish contingent.

Spain has more than enough talent on the squad to beat Cape Verde, and despite the absence of two of its best players, the team should have come out on top. But an array of issues ultimately lost La Roja the three points – and more worryingly, point towards some potentially bad habits that could cost this team a chance of lifting its second World Cup.

A worrying performance

To get it out of the way: The draw itself is definitely not the end of the world. In fact, it’s not particularly worrying either as a result. If Spain wins its next two games, it is in all likelihood the group winner.

Also, there is precedent for an early slip up or two not meaning much in recent big tournaments. Argentina won the last World Cup after losing its opener to lowly Saudi Arabia, Portugal won Euro 2016 after sneaking into the knockouts following three draws in the group stage and Spain won the 2010 World Cup after losing its opening match to Switzerland.

The problem, if you’re a fan of La Roja, is pretty much everything but the result.

Rodri was far below his usual self in the match. - Bernadett Szabo/Reuters

The team that won Euro 2024 was dynamic, free-flowing and attack-minded with a very strong midfield and a lot of focus on incredible wide play: particularly from young stars Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams. The absence from the starting lineup against Cape Verde of Yamal, who is slowly being brought back into the rotation following a hamstring injury that ended his club season in late April, and Williams – who also injured his hamstring late in the campaign – was keenly felt as the two young players provide the dynamism and width that this team is built around.

In their place, Spain boss Luis de la Fuente somewhat bafflingly lined up Barcelona duo Ferrán Torres and Gavi as their replacements.

Torres is usually a center-forward and only played 158 minutes across four matches (out of 47) on the right wing in all competitions this season. Gavi recently came back from a meniscus tear that had him out injured for over six months. Additionally, he’s primarily used as a central midfielder for Barça – though he was used on the left wing by Blaugrana boss Hansi Flick for 109 minutes over two matches this campaign – and is not particularly known for game-breaking acceleration or velocity, especially post-knee surgery.

Both played poorly with Gavi failing to provide speed down the flank to break down Cape Verde’s defensive structure and Torres missing several opportunities to put Spain ahead – including one sitter that would have likely opened the floodgates had it not caromed off the crossbar. Torres’ inaccuracy in front of goal has even spawned countless memes on Spanish-speaking social media from frustrated fans and amused neutrals.

Social media went rampant with memes of Ferrán Torres' profligacy in front of goal. - Stew Milne/AP

The other part of Spain’s glorious 2024 squad that shined brightly in that tournament victory was an incredible midfield, but despite carrying over Rodri and Fabián Ruiz from that Euro final win and the addition of a healthy Pedri, it also played way below expectations in Atlanta.

Both the Manchester City man – who seemed particularly slow and not like the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner or even how he ended this past club season – and Ruiz weren’t up to scratch and didn’t provide enough incisive, penetrativepassing to make a difference in the majority of the match, seeming to pass the ball and keep possession for possession’s sake. Evidence of that is starting forward Mikel Oyarzabal becoming the first player on record since the 1966 tournament to fail to touch the ball once in the first 30 minutes against the Blue Sharks, according to Opta Stats.

The lone bright spot from the midfield was the solid presence of Pedri who played out of position and still had a decent all-around performance, but even he was criticized by many on social media for falling into a familiar trap.

Echoes of World Cup disappointments past

The team as a whole felt a step slow and seemed to forget how it played in the European Championship win, opting instead for an almost retro tiki-taka vibe from World Cup failures past (2014, 2018 and 2022). There wasn’t any sort of incisive passing or movement to try to break down the Cape Verde low block – Spain had 734 completed passes, which mostly seemed sideways or backwards – and instead there was plenty of wishful thinking that their African opponents would make a mistake.

Unfortunately for them, they didn’t, and it likely won’t work against better opponents either.

Spanish journalist Miguel Quintana said on his Marca radio show, “The result can lie to you. What never lies is the style of play, and yesterday, Spain stopped looking like the 2024 team and started looking like the Spain of the worst moments of 2022 and 2018. That’s what should worry us and that’s what should worry Luis de la Fuente.”

Aymeric Laporte and the Spanish defense didn't have much to do against Cape Verde. - Buda Mendes/Getty Images

De la Fuente’s lineup to begin Monday’s match seemed almost too confident in a way – a sense of “We are Spain and you are Cape Verde” – putting the aforementioned “wingers” in place instead of better fits like Víctor Muñoz (if fully fit), Yéremy Pino or Álex Baena, and as the match progressed and it was clear things weren’t working out at all, that impression only seemed to confirm itself.

The La Roja boss didn’t react quickly enough to the situation, instead opting for more of the same after the halftime break – rightly or wrongly relying on his mainstay players who largely brought him to this point – and didn’t change anyone until the 71st minute. By that time, it was too late, even with the introduction of Yamal and his clear, immediate impact on the game.

De la Fuente has received a lot of criticism from the media and Spanish fans online for Monday’s performance, and there is a lot of nostalgic pining for former assistant manager Pablo Amo, who left the coaching staff in February 2025 but who many say was the real mastermind of the Euro 2024 squad. However, Amo isn’t coming back and de la Fuente has to adopt more urgency and adjust.