Taijuan Walker (P) NY-N - Jul. 06
https://www.rotowire.com/baseball/player.php?id=11537

Walker would like to sign a long-term deal with the Mets after his current contract expires, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran right-hander has a player option for 2023 that could be worth up to $8.5 million, but his performance so far this season would likely earn a much bigger salary on the open market. Walker indicated this week that if he does opt out, he would prefer to sign a longer deal with the Mets rather than head elsewhere. "I've been on short-term deals my last two free agencies," said Walker. "It would be nice to do a longer-term deal and kind of just be set up in one place and know that I'm going to be here for a couple years. Maybe have my family settle in a little bit. That would be nice." 

The Post describes:

Walker flexed his muscle again Monday night. Save for an early home run allowed to Brandon Drury, he manhandled the Reds lineup in the Mets’ 7-4 victory at Great American Ball Park. The win was the Mets’ second straight and third in four games following their first three-game losing streak of the season. 

Over six innings, Walker allowed three earned runs on four hits with nine strikeouts and one walk. His ERA rose to 2.86, which ranks ninth in the NL. Walker has pitched at least six innings in each of his last six starts and only once this season has he allowed more than four earned runs in a start. Over his last 11 starts he owns a 2.53 ERA, carrying the load with Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer on the IL. Scherzer is scheduled to return Tuesday night for his first start since May 18. 

“I think [Walker] has been awesome,” said Dominic Smith, who delivered a two-run double in the sixth that helped the Mets extend their lead. “He’s just showing what he showed us last year when he was an All-Star. It’s something he’s capable of doing and I know with our dogs out and our big horses out he’s definitely trying to put us on his back..."

The Post describes:

For a second time in three starts, Walker fired a seven-inning shutout. In this one he allowed five hits with two walks and six strikeouts, allowing the Mets (28-15) to leave town with a series victory. In 13 series this season, the Mets are 11-1-1. 

Buck Showalter was rewarded for his faith in allowing Walker to pitch the seventh when Luis Guillorme’s diving stop on Brian Serven’s grounder to third became the final out. This after Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil turned a double play on Jose Iglesias’ grounder. 

“You know that if the ball is put in play, we have guys that are going to go out there and dive for the ball and try to make every play,” Walker said. “When I get runners on I try to tell myself, ‘Ground ball, get a double play,’ and that’s what we did today.” 

This ballpark, one mile above sea level, might be hell for most pitchers, but for Walker it has been nirvana: in five career starts at Coors he is 3-1 with a 2.03 ERA. 

“I think it’s maybe because of my splitter: keeping it down it kind of cuts, goes down and in, just does a little bit of everything,” Walker said. 

Have faith!  Start him.  Rockies' lineup is weak.  I am a chicken too, but a longtime Walker fan.

I would sit him, but I'm a chicken.

Two starts this week. One in Coors.  Pitch him or sit him?

Between them the Nats and the Mets fanned a mere 11 times.

And collected nine hits.

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Giancarlo Stanton Yordan Álvarez Aaron Judge Taijuan Walker Taylor Hearn May 12, 2022 Top Performers Pitchers: Taijuan Walker (NYM): 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 K, 71 GmSc Taylor Hearn (TEX): 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 3 BB, 5 K, 67 GmSc Luis Garcia (HOU): 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 9 K, 64 GmSc Connor Overton (CIN): 6.1 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 1 K, 64 GmSc Bryan Baker (BAL): 2.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 3 K, 58 GmSc View All of Yesterday's Pitchers at Baseball-Reference.com

2020: FB 50% FBv 93.2 EV 88.4 HardHit 32% Barrel 7% HR/FB 13% FIP 4.56
2021: FB 57% FBv 94.2 EV 89.1 HardHit 39% Barrel 10% HR/FB 14% FIP 4.57