Mariners starter Taijuan Walker feels strong after first intrasquad outing
Seattle Mariners starter Taijuan Walker specifically asked manager Scott Servais to load up the opposing lineup with heavy hitters for his first intrasquad start Monday afternoon.
Walker, who rejoined the club in February, has been a clubhouse leader in competitive smack talk since the Mariners returned to T-Mobile Park for summer camp — and he wanted to face the best.
“This is where we have to try to compete, and we have to find ways to do that right now,” he said on a video call with reporters following his start. “If we do have to talk a little bit to each other to fire each other up, than I think that’s what needs to happen.
“I think the competition’s been really good so far in camp, and I think it’s good, and it’s really awesome to see that everyone just wants a piece of each other. I think that’s what’s really going to get us ready for the season.”
Servais has encouraged the intensity, and answered his veteran right-hander’s request like so — a barrage of lefties, including shortstop J.P. Crawford and top prospect Jarred Kelenic, and of course, Kyle Lewis, who is having the hottest summer camp of any Mariners player.
Walker’s response? Two scoreless innings and some early bragging rights. He opened by retiring the first three batters he faced, striking out Crawford looking, and getting White and Lewis to ground out to third.
He also became the first Mariners pitcher to retire Lewis — who was 3-for-3 with three homers and two walks entering the day — in intrasquad play.
“K-Lew didn’t hit a home run off me,” Walker said. “I wanted to strike him out, though, but I’ll take a ground out.”
Does he get a prize for being the first to record an out against Lewis?
“I hope,” he joked. “A day off? … He’s been lights out right now, which is good. I know this quarantine he’s been busting his butt to get where he is right now. He’s only getting better, which is really scary.
“It’s fun facing guys who are hot like that. You get a chance to see where your stuff is, and how it’s playing against guys like that, like K-Lew, so it was good for me, and I think he got some stuff out of it, too.”
Walker got out of the first inning on a quick 10 pitches. His second inning was longer, at 27, and he allowed a base hit to Austin Nola and walked Donovan Walton, but worked out of the jam without allowing a run.
He got Kelenic — who belted two home runs later in the game — to fly out to left, and struck out both Patrick Wisdom and infield prospect Austin Shenton to retire the side.
“I got to work from the stretch and really just battle and get out of a situation,” Walker said.
Four months removed from making his only Cactus League start before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down spring training, Walker said he feels strong.
The extra time off gave him more time to rest his arm as he looks to reboot his career following Tommy John surgery in 2018.
“It gave my arm a chance to heal,” he said. “I think any time you can do that, you should feel pretty good and strong, and that’s what I feel like right now. I feel really strong. I like where I’m at.
“Now it’s just about building the innings and getting comfortable with the ups and downs. We’re getting there. I like where I’m at, though.”
SHORT HOPS
Three more Mariners players were seen at camp for the first time Monday afternoon. Outfielder Mallex Smith, utility player Dylan Moore and catcher Joe Hudson were all seen playing catch in the outfield ahead of the intrasquad game. Servais said earlier in the day reliever Zac Grotz has also joined the team. The only player in the 60-man player pool yet to be seen in sessions reporters have had access to is reliever Yoshihiso Hirano. ... Kelenic launched a pair of home runs off Nestor Cortes Jr. and Carl Edwards Jr. to pace the Steelheads to a 5-0 win. … Crawford drove in a pair of runs with a RBI single in the fourth for the Steelheads, while White (double), Walton (double), Nola (single) and Wisdom (single) also logged hits. … Daniel Vogelbach and Dee Gordon had the only two base hits for the Pilots. … Relievers Taylor Guilbeau, Taylor Williams, Art Warren, Yohan Ramirez, Brandon Brennan and Sam Delaplane also pitched. … The Steelheads held the Pilots scoreless in seven innings Monday and remain undefeated in the intrasquad series, leading 3-0-1.
ON TAP
The Mariners will play their fifth intrasquad game Tuesday, beginning at 2:45 p.m. The game will be streamed live on the Mariners’ YouTube and Twitch channels with Aaron Goldsmith, Mike Blowers and Gary Hill on the play-by-play.
This story was originally published July 13, 2020 at 10:43 PM.
