Mandatory Credit: Kam Nedd-USA TODAY Sports
The injury-riddled New York Mets sent Taijuan Walker (3-1, 2.20 ERA) to the mound as they opened a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves.
Coming off three-straight losses and with the potential of going with a bullpen game on Tuesday, the Mets were in need of a good and lengthy start. Walker, one of the best value free agent signings of the offseason, looked to continue his strong pitching this season, as he came into the game with the eighth-best ERA (2.20) and 15th-best WHIP (1.024) in the National League.
Walker began his night by retiring the side in order in the top of the first. He used only seven pitches to induce a couple of fly outs and a pop up.
He also found success in the second as he produced another perfect inning, while picking up a strikeout on his splitter along the way.
In the third, Walker got the first two hitters to ground out before giving up a single to his pitching counterpart Max Fried. He then promptly got out of the inning by getting Ronald Acuna Jr. looking on a sinker.
Walker appeared to be in discomfort in the third and in between innings he was pulled from the game after 33 pitches due to left side tightness. The right-hander said postgame that he isn’t too concerned with the issue, but he is headed for an MRI today.
May 17, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Sean Reid-Foley (61) throws a pitch against the Atlanta Braves in the fourth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Sean Reid-Foley was called upon early to pitch in long relief of Walker. He was coming off a poor outing on Saturday where he gave up an inherited run and an earned run on three hits in 1 1/3 innings.
Reid-Foley started his night off strong as he got Freddie Freeman to ground out and followed that up with back-to-back swinging strikeouts.
He came back out for the fifth inning and used nine pitches to string together another 1-2-3 inning.
Luis Rojas kept Reid-Foley in the game for the sixth and the 25-year-old responded by setting down the side in order yet again. He picked up fourth and fifth strikeouts in the inning and lowered his 1.42 ERA to 0.96 ERA along the way.
While the Mets may not have gotten the length they sought from Walker, Reid-Foley complemented his solid start to produce an outstanding combined six innings.
