Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Taijuan Walker hasn't appeared in a game since suffering a foot injury, but that doesn't mean he's exempt from trade talks.
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Recovering Walker Garnering Interest
Thursday, July 28
Per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times, Walker threw a "pain-free" simulated game Wednesday and looks poised to return shortly. It remains to be seen, though, if he will be a member of the Mariners when that happens.
According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, Walker will throw a bullpen session Friday at Wrigley Field "in front of intrigued scouts."
The Chicago Cubs are "one of a couple teams" that have inquired about Walker, according to Today's Knuckleball's Jon Heyman. They will have a front-row seat in their own ballpark to see how he looks in his recovery.
He is dealing with an injury to the tendon in the arch of his right foot, something that has nagged Walker since June. He was pulled from two straight starts on June 14 and 19 before going on the disabled list on July 6.
He spoke with the media about how the injury affected him, via ESPN.com: "I feel like I just haven't had my best stuff. My [velocity is] down. My changeup isn't as sharp. Nothing is really as sharp, just because I can't get into my legs and get after it. It's probably not best for me to go out there and pitch, because I can't give it 100 percent."
Before his trip to the DL, Walker went 4-7 in 16 starts with a 3.66 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 86 innings. While those numbers don't jump off the page, he has the second-best ERA among Mariners starters who have appeared in 15 or more games. Only Felix Hernandez has a better mark than the 23-year-old.
He was even better through the first two months of the season before his foot began to bother him, holding a 2.90 ERA after he allowed an earned run in 7.1 innings against the Oakland Athletics on May 23.
At 6'4", Walker is a looming presence on the mound who is able to generate plenty of power on a live fastball that has averaged over 94 mph, per FanGraphs.
Contending teams that are looking to bolster the middle of their rotation could see Walker's size and velocity as a solid acquisition before the August 1 trade deadline, but a lot of that hinges on the status of his foot.
Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.
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