Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
On Wednesday night in Queens, the Mets sent Taijuan Walker to the mound for his last start of the 2021 season against the Miami Marlins. Walker was looking for a positive start as his last game against the Red Sox only lasted two innings as he gave up six earned runs during that time.
The game started with Miguel Rojas striking out swinging on three pitches, then Jazz Chisholm reached on a throwing error by third baseman Jonathan Villar. After a pickoff attempt by Walker, the error would not mean anything as Bryan De La Cruz grounded into a double play, started by Villar who threw to Javier Baez then onto first baseman Pete Alonso to end the first. Walker only needed eight pitches to get through his first inning of work.
Jesus Sanchez was called out on strikes to begin the second, then Lewin Diaz flew out to Villar at third for the second out. Shortly after that Walker got Lewis Brinson to strike out swinging for the last out of the inning and Walker’s third strikeout of the night.
To begin his third inning of work, Walker made Eddy Alvarez fly out to right fielder, Michael Conforto. But next at-bat, he surrendered his first hit of the night, a single by Alex Jackson to left fielder, Dom Smith. Elieser Hernandez bunted to create a force out at second, leaving Hernandez at first with two outs. Rojas grounded into a force out at second as well, ending the inning.
Walker issued a walk to Chisholm to start the fourth, but then picked him off at first base for the first out. De La Cruz then struck out swinging for Walker’s fifth strikeout of the night. Sanchez then flew out to Smith in foul territory for the third out. Walker was cruising through the first four giving up a minute single along the way.
After getting the lead courtesy of a Conforto solo home run, Walker had another 1-2-3 inning by getting Diaz to ground out to Francisco Lindor, then having Brinson line out sharply to Alonso, then a strikeout by Alvarez for the third and final out of the fifth.
With the game now being 2-0 Mets, with Walker pitching in with a single, he continued to dominate. Jackson grounded to Walker who threw to first base for the out. Pinch-hitter Joe Panik grounded out to Alonso who nabbed Walker at first to complete the out. Rojas joined in and grounded out as well to end Walker’s sixth inning of work.
The seventh inning began with the second walk issued to Chisholm. Proceeding a mound visit, De La Cruz then grounded into a double play, started by Villar who threw to Baez and then onto first base for the first two outs of the inning. Sanchez then grounded out as well to Walker and then onto first.
Walker’s dominant night came crashing down in the eighth inning. The first man up, Diaz, doubled on a line drive to Conforto in right. With one on, Brinson popped out in foul territory to Alonso who secured it for the first out. Walker then issued his third walk of the night to Alvarez, which would end his night.
Seth Lugo came on to relieve Walker and gave up a double to Jackson, leading to the Marlins’ first run of the night. Now 2-1, pinch-hitter Nick Fortes struck out swinging for the second out. With one out to get to end the inning, Lugo gave up a single to Rojas which scored both Alvarez and pinch-runner, Magneuris Sierra. Rojas was then thrown out trying to stretch his single into a double by Conforto for the third out, but not before the Marlins took the 3-2 lead.
Taijuan Walker’s final line: 7.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
The Mets would not come back from the one-run deficit as they lost 3-2. Lugo, who has struggled in some spots this year, spoiled a dominant start by Walker as he closed his season.
Walker, who was an All-Star this season for the first time in his career, reflected on his 159 IP, 4.47 ERA, and 146 K season. “Me, personally I think it was a really good season,” He said. “I know the numbers don’t look good, especially in the second half, but to be where I was the last three years, and to go out there and make 29 starts… I would say that’s a win.”
Looking forward to 2022, the Mets hope to get what they got out of Walker and for him to build on what was the first complete season in over three years. Wednesday’s start was definitely an example of what Walker could bring to the Mets rotation and an example of what was the majority of his first season as a New York Met. Although the game ended up in a loss, it was a positive start for Walker to end his season on.
