Mandatory Credit: Kam Nedd-USA TODAY Sports

The Mets sent out Taijuan Walker to finish their four-game set in St. Louis, looking to keep pace in the NL East. Entering Thursday, the Mets were a game back of the Phillies in the division.

Walker preformed brilliantly despite two short rain delays, going seven strong innings with eight strikeouts, no walks, only one hit and no earned runs. He retired the last 18 batters he faced (career-high) and lowered his season ERA to 2.38 through six starts.

“Just tried to keep ’em off-balance…really pounded the strike zone, throw strikes when I needed to,” Walker said of his performance today. “I feel like today, my mechanics were a lot better.”

“He challenged their lineup,” Mets catcher James McCann said of Taijuan Walker’s start today. “Honestly, the best thing he had going for him was how well he attacked the strike zone.”

He began his day striking out the side in order, but an error at third base in the second set things up for Harrison Bader to drive in Nolan Arenado on a sac fly. But things would unravel for the Cardinals in the fifth as an Arenado error and four walks brought home two unearned runs for the Mets, chasing the Cardinals’ starter John Gant after 4 1/3 innings.

“We did a really good job of laying off tough pitches and handing off tough pitches and handing off to the next guy,” McCann said of the Mets’ fifth inning.

Meanwhile, after Arenado got on by a single in the second, Walker proceeded to retire the next 18 hitters he’d face to keep the Mets in the game. While Dom Smith cashed in with the bases loaded in the eighth following yet another bases loaded walk to make it 4-1.

After Walker was pulled, Trevor May and Edwin Diaz teamed up to shut the door as the Mets salvaged a split of the series with St. Louis.

Walker continues to show improved fastball velocity in 2021, he averaged 94.5 mph on Thursday. That four-seamer got seven whiffs and eight called strikes in the outing. Opponents now have a .133 AVG and .156 SLG against his four-seamer in 2021.

For the season, Walker now has a 2.38 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 9.26 K/9, and 1.0 fWAR in 34 innings.