Taijuan Walker

Mets Game Preview: (7/2/21) @ New York Yankees (41-39)

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New York Yankees, New York Mets

The New York Mets and New York Yankees begin their newest installment of the Subway Series, but both teams are in the midst of their own turmoil. Both teams also have the same amount of wins, but the Mets are in first place while the Yankees sit in fourth. If the rain holds off, first pitch from Yankee Stadium is set for 7:05 p.m. ET.

The Mets come off a back-breaking loss against the Atlanta Braves after tying the game in the ninth. The Braves never hit a ball out of the infield but still scored the game-winning run in the bottom half. Over the last 30 days, the Mets have the third-worst scoring offense in all of baseball. This included the second-worst average (.215) and fifth-worst slugging percentage (.372).

The Yankees allowed seven runs in the ninth to blow their win against the Los Angeles Angles. It caused a rippling effect throughout the organization as fans want Aaron Boone fired, but owner Hal Steinbrenner will not commit to any dramatic changes. In the loss to the Angles, Aroldis Chapman allowed a game-tying grand slam and has come back to Earth after his fantastic start to the season. On May 23, he let up his first run of the season and has a 10.13 ERA and three blown saves since.

Pitching Matchup

Taijuan Walker makes his 15th start of the season as he takes the mound for the Mets. Walker was once again brilliant in his last start and would have pitched even better if he could get Aaron Nola out. He pitched five innings, allowing three hits, one run, and struck out five. Walker is ninth in the NL with his 2.38 ERA but allowed seven runs (one earned) in 1.2 innings at Yankee Stadium last season.

Jordan Montgomery starts for the Yankees and has been a consistent arm in a year with nothing behind Gerrit Cole. In 15 starts, he has a 4.06 ERA and has done great at limiting walks with just 2.5 walks per nine innings. Montgomery battled through six innings, holding the Boston Red Sox to three runs on eight hits.

Matchups To Lookout For

Taijuan Walker vs. Rougned Odor: 6-for-13 (.462), Home Run, 2 Strikeouts

Jordan Montgomery vs. Kevin Pillar: 2-for-11 (.182), 3 Strikeouts

Mets ‘hit the jackpot’ with Taijuan Walker

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New York Mets, Taijuan Walker

As the offseason got deeper and teams started preparing for spring training, not only pitcher Taijuan Walker remained unemployed: he didn’t even have contract offers. Teams refused to spend and focused on internal solutions, except the New York Mets.

The Mets swung and missed on Trevor Bauer, so they pivoted to Walker as the best starter available in free agency. The righty had a good 2020, with a 2.70 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 53 1/3 innings, so the lack of interest was somewhat surprising.

The two-year, $20 million offer from the Mets was the only one Walker received, and it has been the steal of the offseason so far. He fanned 12 hitters on Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs, and is 6-2 with a 2.12 ERA.

The Mets are incredibly happy with Walker, but the feeling is mutual.

“The Mets being my only offer, I feel like it was destiny for me to be here, honestly,” Walker told MLB.com. “Everything has worked out well for everyone. I’m actually really happy to be here. So I’m glad the Mets were my only offer.”

He is having his best season with the Mets

Walker is striking out more hitters than ever, at 9.53 per nine innings (a career high). He is elevating his fastball for more swings and misses, and it’s working wonders.

“We’ve got a really good rotation,” Walker said. “ … I’m just going out there and doing my job, really.”

Mets’ manager Luis Rojas was short, but concise when asked about what he thinks about Walker and his contributions to the team.

“We hit the jackpot with this guy,” Rojas said. “He’s been outstanding for us.”

“He knows how his stuff works and he’s able to pitch and work through games with whatever he has that day,” Alonso said. “His pitchability’s absolutely plus, and he’s got great stuff. So with that combination, it’s no surprise that he’s carving guys up this year. He’s having a hell of a year.”

Walker Strikes Out a Dozen in Mets 3-2 Win Over Cubs

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Taijuan Walker has been the steal of the offseason for the New York Mets and had another fantastic start. He struck out 12 to take a second straight game from the Chicago Cubs by a score of 3-2. Walker’s previous season-high was nine strikeouts, and he blew right past that for his sixth victory of the season.

Early in his start, Walker did not look like he had the best command of his pitches. Walker immediately had a first and second, then bases-loaded jam in the first inning but struck out three to survive the inning. From that point, Walker slowly started to get himself in a grove and found command of all pitches. His best weapon was his two-seam fastball which drew flashbacks to Bartolo Colon. Walker dominated for seven innings, a dozen strikeouts, and just two runs allowed, which came on a Javier Baez homer.

Thank You Willie

Walker retired the last 12 batters he faced, then passed the baton over to Seth Lugo. He recorded his first two-inning save since last August by working a perfect eighth and an extremely hectic ninth. Lugo received help from Cubs’ third base coach Willie Harris who crazily sent Jake Marisnick to get thrown out at home plate on Eric Sogard‘s double. This game was a prime example of how dangerous the Mets pitching staff has become. Their number three starter led their way while their second closer came into shut the door.

The Mets’ offense was not at their best tonight. They had plenty of chances to tack on to the lead throughout the game but went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left ten on base. Pete Alonso carried the load on offense with three RBIs, two coming on a single and the lead one with a sacrifice fly. Jonathan Villar also had a strong game with two hits, including a double.

Jacob deGrom returns to the mound to build upon his historic season after dealing with elbow issues. Robert Stock makes his Cubs debut, and first MLB start in game three of the series. The first pitch is once again scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET from Citi Field.

Mets Game Preview: (6/15/21) vs. Chicago Cubs (38-28)

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The New York Mets and Chicago Cubs play game two of their series after the Mets took the opening matchup. The victory broke the Cubs’ five-game winning streak, and it broke a seven-game losing streak in home games against the Cubs. Game two is set to begin at 7:10 p.m. ET from Citi Field.

The Mets starting pitching was already great this season, and David Peterson‘s strong start made them look even better. Their 2.72 ERA, .205 average against, and 26 home runs allowed are the best in all of baseball. Of course, it helps when Jacob deGrom is part of the group, but it takes an entire group to put together the tremendous numbers they have. The whole pitching staff has been even better for home games where they have a 2.01 ERA and allowed just 14 home runs.

Cubs shortstop Javy Baez expects to return to the lineup after missing the last couple of games with a thumb issue. Baez was able to pinch-hit in Monday’s game which gives hope to the rest of the lineup. The Cubs only managed three hits last night, and two of them were home runs. Baez would bring back a power/speed threat the lineup is lacking.

Pitching Matchup

Taijuan Walker makes his 12th start of the season and has been brilliant for the Mets. In 61 innings, he has a 2.07 ERA with 60 strikeouts and has allowed just two home runs. Walker had his best start of the season against the Baltimore Orioles, where he pitched seven innings, allowing one run and struck out nine. He had his worst start against the Cubs, where he lasted just 3.2 innings and allowed three runs (two earned), and walked six.

Alec Mills makes a spot start after spending 13 of 14 games as a reliever. Mills has a no-hitter to his name but has struggled in 2021. He has a 6.08 ERA in 23.2 innings, with four home runs allowed. Mills has allowed runs in his last five innings out of the bullpen and has not thrown more than 57 pitches in any game this season.

Matchups To Lookout For

Alec Mills vs. Jose Peraza: 3-for-9 (.333), Double, 3 Strikeouts

Taijuan Walker vs. Joc Pederson: 7-for-17 (.412), 2 Doubles, Home Run, Walk, 4 Strikeouts

Taijuan Walker vs. Eric Sogard: 3-for-10 (.300), Walk, Strikeout

Mets Game Preview: (6/9/21) @ Baltimore Orioles (22-38)

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After an ugly blowout loss on Tuesday, the New York Mets look to rebound against the Baltimore Orioles in the final game of their short two-game series. Rain could creep into Baltimore later in the game, but it could hold off until its conclusion. The first pitch is once again scheduled for another 7:05 p.m. ET start from Oriole Park.

Pete Alonso has been scorching hot since he returned from the injured list. He is 10-for-30 (.333) with three homers, including two last night. Mason Williams returns to center field and has struggled after earning a call-up from Syracuse. After hitting .373 in Triple-A, he is 3-for-16 over eight games in the big leagues.

The Orioles had everything working with their offense in their ten runs, 16 hit output. Maikel Franco continued his notorious Mets killing with a double, home run, and three runs batted in. Over his career, Franco has 20 home runs against the Mets, which are his most against any team. Cedric Mullins has been an all of baseball killer this year and is the hottest hitter in the sport. He is in the middle of an eight-game hitting streak where he is 17-for-32 (.531), and nine of the hits have gone for extra bases.

Pitching Matchup

Taijuan Walker had a rare lackluster start his last time out against the San Diego Padres. Walker pitched five innings allowing seven hits, four runs (three earned), and walked four batters. His line could have been cleaner if Williams secured the Fernando Tatis Jr. home run that popped out of his glove early in the start. Walker is still sixth in all of baseball with his 2.17 ERA.

Matt Harvey gets to face his old team again and is looking to rebound from an ugly May. Over six starts, Harvey had a 9.64 ERA, allowed more runs than strikeouts, and only had one start where he pitched past the fifth inning. He started June better by holding the Minnesota Twins to one run in three innings pitched.

Matchup To Lookout For

Taijuan Walker vs. Ryan Mountcastle: 0-for-7 (.000)

Mets Game Preview: (6/3/21) @ San Diego Padres (34-23)

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The New York Mets take on the varsity of their west coast trip as they face the San Diego Padres. This is the first of seven games between both teams that will be played within the next 11 days. The first pitch for the Mets’ toughest series of the season is set for 10:10 p.m. ET from Petco Park.

The Mets took two out of three against the Arizona Diamondbacks, but it came tougher than expected. After an easy victory in game one, the next two games were each decided by a run. Francisco Lindor has gotten his bat going over the last five games by going 9-for-23 and has gotten back to driving the ball to all fields. Even if Fernando Tatis Jr. is not playing, there will be plenty of comparisons between the two high-paid shortstops.

The Padres are in the midst of a four-game losing streak which includes a three-game sweep to the Chicago Cubs. Tatis Jr. also suffered an oblique injury, but it does not seem to be anything serious. He is not likely to play during tonight’s game, but we should expect to see him back by the third or fourth game. Even without Tatis Jr., there is plenty of big bats in the Padres lineup. Jake Cronenworth is one of the best they have, hitting .282 with a team-leading 60 hits.

Pitching Matchup

Taijuan Walker takes the mound after a terrific start off the IL. He hurled five shutout innings with just two hits allowed and eight strikeouts. Walker has become the steal of the offseason during the first couple of months of the season. His ERA is a season-low 1.84, which is fifth in all of baseball.

Yu Darvish is the Padres starter and looks to bounce back from a rare bad start. He allowed five runs (four earned) in five innings against the Houston Astros, and it pushed his ERA over two. On the year, Darvish has a 2.16 ERA in 11 starts and has 79 strikeouts.

Matchups To Lookout For

Taijuan Walker vs. Manny Machado: 2-for-12 (.167), Walk, 2 Strikeouts

Yu Darvish vs. Francisco Lindor: 4-for-7 (.571), Double, 2 Walks

Mets Survive and Win 3-1 Despite Losing Walker and Pillar

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The New York Mets injury bug has become as contagious as COVID-19 as both Taijuan Walker, and Kevin Pillar left with injuries. Despite the losses, the Mets still managed to take game one over the Atlanta Braves by a score of 3-1. The win also allowed the Mets to keep their spot in first place in the NL East.

It seems every win will involve the Mets to search their active roster for help at this point in the season.  Walker pitched three shutout innings before leaving with tightness in his left side. Sean Reid-Foley cleaned up the mess by delivering three perfect innings, making it seem like Walker never left the game. The strong outing set the table for Jeurys Familia, Trevor May, and Edwin Diaz to shut the door on the win.

Bench Mob

After the top three hitters of Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso, and Dominic Smith, the bench mob dominated the rest of the lineup. They had plenty of trouble solving Max Fried, who was able to keep the Mets quiet for the first six innings of his start. In the seventh, Fried left the game with a hand cramp after Tomas Nido‘s leadoff double. It gave the Mets their opportunity to get on the board as they loaded the bases against Jacob Webb.

Webb had himself an inning he would like to forget. Webb allowed a double to James McCann to give the Mets a 1-0 lead, then ended up loading the bases for Kevin Pillar. Unfortunately, Pillar got an RBI in the worst way possible by taking a fastball from Webb right on the bridge of his nose. Blood immediately spewed from Pillar’s nose, and he was forced to leave the game. Khalil Lee replaced Pillar in the outfield and joined fellow rookie Johneshwy Fargas out there. Fargas ended up leaving his mark on the game by recording an RBI double as his first major league hit.

The win was another example of the Mets’ ability to play through adversity. They came off a sweep, lost their starting pitcher after three innings, watched Pillar get hit in the face but still managed to find a way to win. Throughout all of the injuries, they still have themselves in first place with a chance to get to 20 wins on Tuesday. Speaking of Tuesday, both teams will rely heavily on their bullpen. The Mets will have a bullpen game while the Braves turn to Tucker Davidson to make his second career start.

Mets Game Preview: (5/17/21) @ Atlanta Braves (19-21)

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The bruised and battered New York Mets limp their way into Georgia to face the Atlanta Braves. They will play the first of three games in a series that the Mets need everyone to contribute. The first pitch from SunTrust Park is set for 7:10 p.m. ET.

Over the weekend, the Mets were swept by the Tampa Bay Rays and lost more players due to injuries. Hamstring injuries to both Jeff McNeil and Michael Conforto have forced the Mets to dig even deeper into their minor leagues for replacements. Johneshwy Fargas will be one of the new comes to the roster as a corresponding move. With the tough losses over the weekend and the stockpile of injuries, their seven-game win streak seems like it happened months ago.

The Braves have started slow but are slowly inching their way back to the .500 mark. Over the weekend, they went on the road to take two of three games from the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. Ronald Acuna has continued to put up MVP caliber numbers with a .300 average, 12 home runs, and six stolen bases. On the pitching side, Huascar Ynoa has stepped up with a 3.02 ERA in nine games this season.

Pitching Matchup

Taijuan Walker looks to repeat his success from his last start against the Baltimore Orioles, and the Mets need it. Walker pitched seven innings and held the Orioles to just one run on four hits. In seven starts, Walker has been terrific with a 2.20 ERA and 1.02 WHIP.

Max Fried pitches for the Braves and has been nowhere near his 2020 success. In five starts, Fried has a 6.55 ERA and has already doubled his home run total from last season. Ever since leaving the injured list, Fried has been better with two consecutive outings where he allowed one run.

Matchup To Lookout For

Max Fried vs. Pete Alonso: 1-for-12 (.083), Home Run, 3 Walks, 5 Strikeouts

Mets’ pitcher Taijuan Walker off to a fantastic start of the season

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New York Mets, Taijuan Walker

The New York Mets are perhaps the hottest team in baseball right now, along with the New York Yankees. Things are looking up in Flushing, as the club has won seven games in a row and is now in sole possession of the first place of the National League East division.

One of the primary reasons of the Mets’ consistently good play as of late has been the pitching. And one of the main actors has been Taijuan Walker, a late signing that has given the organization everything it could have hoped and then some.

The right-hander earned the win on Wednesday versus the Baltimore Orioles, facing off against former Mets’ great Matt Harvey, by throwing seven strong inning of one run on four hits with four strikeouts and three walks.

The Mets are getting quality innings from their free agent man

For the season, Walker has a 2.20 ERA and a 2.90 FIP in seven starts and 41.0 innings pitched. He hasn’t been the most dominant, with a 23.9 K% and a 11.0 BB%, but he usually gets the job done and gives the team a chance to win.

“I know what I did last year. I know it’s my second year coming off Tommy John. I feel confident in myself, I felt confident last year,” Walker told the media after the Mets’ 7-1 win over the Orioles on Wednesday. “I showed that I had a couple more pitches. And this year, my only focus is to go out there and help the team win ballgames. Try to go deep in the games and that’s all I’m doing. I don’t care if I’m proving people wrong or not. I know what I can do, and the Mets believe in me. They know what I can do, too.”

Mets’ manager Luis Rojas has praised Walker for being more of a pitcher than a thrower.

“I think he’s become more of a pitcher just by the usage of the different pitches that he’s been working on and getting better to use them in different counts,” Rojas said, per SNY. “The usage of his splitter in different counts, the usage of his slider. Now being able to locate the fastball up and run it in sometimes to a righty like he does, or do a front hip to a lefty. He did all that today.”

Mets Spoil Harvey’s Return in 7-1 Win For Seventh Straight Victory

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The much-anticipated return of Matt Harvey came with plenty of love and support, but the New York Mets had a winning streak to continue. Outside of a 1-2-3 first inning, Harvey and the Baltimore Orioles could not get anything going in the Mets 7-1 victory.

The Mets fans gave Harvey the standing ovation he deserved, but the offense greeted him rudely. They tagged Harvey for seven runs and eight hits which forced Harvey out of the game in the fifth inning. Kevin Pillar opened things with a two-run triple in the second inning as he continues to fill in nicely for Brandon Nimmo. Speaking of fill-ins, Jose Peraza stepped in for Jeff McNeil and had a great game. Peraza delivered two singles, two RBIs and made a couple of tremendous defensive plays at second base. Dominic Smith‘s bat has suddenly become red hot as he went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.

Skywalker Leads The Way

Taijuan Walker continued his dominant season by throwing seven innings and keeping the Orioles to just one run. His three walks are deceiving because two came back-to-back in the second inning. Walker was a strike-throwing machine with 63 of his 97 pitches in the zone. When he gave up hard contact, he also benefitted from great defense through the diamond. Drew Smith made a powerful return to the big leagues by working an 11 pitch, 1-2-3 ninth inning, and reaching 97 mph with his fastball.

The win is the seventh straight, and they are building winning habits that were not prevalent in April. They went an incredible 7-for-10 with runners in scoring position, recorded three 2-out RBIs, and stole two bases. As the offense wakes up, they have climbed out of the cellar in MLBs offensive stats. Their average w/RISP is up to 21st, their team average is 12th, and their on-base percentage is 3rd.

The Mets get Thursday off as they head down to Tampa Bay to begin a nine-game road trip on Friday. David Peterson gets the start against Tyler Glasnow for the 7:10 p.m. ET start from Tropicana Field.