PORT ST. LUCIE — Taijuan Walker pitched two innings Saturday and suspects he won’t have trouble extending to five for his first regular-season start.
“I don’t think I will be at 100 pitches,” the Mets right-hander said. “But I think I will be on track for at least five innings.”
Slow tracked this spring after undergoing January surgery to remove damaged cartilage from his right knee, Walker was limited to two innings (20 pitches) scoreless against the Nationals in the Mets’ 4-2 exhibition victory at Clover Park. Walker allowed one hit — on a ball that Luis Guillorme lost in the sun. After he was removed from the game, Walker said he threw another 20 pitches in the bullpen.
Walker was an All-Star last season, but nose-dived in the second half to finish with a 4.47 ERA. He says his knee discomfort emerged during offseason workouts. Among the positive signs on this day was Walker bouncing off the mound on a fielding play.
“I just saw the ball and I just kind of went after it like I normally would and made a play,” Walker said. “It wasn’t an easy one, so we were able to check that box off.”
Taijuan Walker Corey Sipkin“The knee has been great,” Walker said. “I haven’t been thinking about that at all. Bullpens, [fielding practice] with the team now, the knee has been completely great.”
Manager Buck Showalter said he was “hopeful” Walker would be ready for his first start of the regular season, especially given that teams will be allowed to carry 28 players for the first month of the season.
David Peterson struck out five over 3 ²/₃ innings, but also allowed two earned runs on two hits and one walk. Lane Thomas stroked a two-run homer against Peterson in the fourth.
The lefty Peterson is expected to begin the season at Triple-A Syracuse as rotation depth, barring an injury in the rotation. Tylor Megill is another depth option for the rotation. Peterson has pitched to an 8.10 ERA in his two appearances this spring.
Showalter held a 20-minute meeting on the field before the game to implement the team’s signs. After the game Showalter had a meeting scheduled to discuss the potential Opening Day roster.
