Mets' Taijuan Walker lands on 10-day IL, Trevor May day-to-day
New York Mets' Brandon Nimmo (9) follows through on a home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Tuesday, April 12, 2022, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson) Credit: AP/Laurence Kesterson
PHILADELPHIA — The MRI Mets received mixed results Tuesday, with Taijuan Walker landing on the 10-day injured list with right shoulder bursitis and Trevor May getting away with a day-to-day label after being diagnosed with what he called a “very, very” low-grade right triceps strain.
Manager Buck Showalter framed those developments in a positive light after both righthanders left their outings Monday against the Phillies prematurely.
“We got great news on both of them,” he said.
Walker will need at least one minor-league rehabilitation start before returning, Showalter said. That is because he has pitched a combined 3 1/3 innings in his past two outings — including his spring training finale — while dealing with right knee soreness and this newer right shoulder issue, respectively.
Back in New York, where he had his tests, Walker also received an anti-inflammatory injection.
Showalter wouldn’t commit to lefthander David Peterson, who tossed four innings of scoreless relief after Walker’s exit, taking that spot in the rotation. It next comes up Sunday against the Diamondbacks. “Pete is a good option, don’t get me wrong,” Showalter said.
May was upbeat about his prognosis, calling it “the best-case scenario for sure.” His plan included to skip throwing for at least one day and seeing how his arm feels. A possible IL stint “hasn’t even been brought up with me,” he said.
“Hopefully a day or two of just staying away from it, we’ll get ahead of it and off to the races for the rest of the season,” May said.
His discomfort popped up when he returned for the eighth inning after pitching a scoreless seventh. He didn’t pitch in multiple innings at all last year, his first with the Mets, but said he is open to future multi-inning appearances anyway.
“I don’t like to pigeon-hole myself into an inning at a time,” May said. “Because come October, that stuff goes out the window whether you like it or not. I would much rather keep the mindset that it’s my ball until it’s ripped out of my hands. So that’s how I approach it. I told Buck that too. I don’t anticipate that changing. I’m not going to set any limits for myself as a part of this team, because it’s not what we need.”
Diaz returns
After a three-game absence on the bereavement list, following the death of his grandfather, closer Edwin Diaz returned to the Mets on Tuesday and picked up the save in a 2-0 win against the Phillies. He took the roster spot vacated by Walker.
“I’m happy to be back with the team,” he said. “I went to spend time with my family, but now we’re back, ready to roll.”
Seaver Day
Tom Seaver’s grandsons, Thomas and Tobin, will throw out ceremonial first pitches before the Mets’ home opener against the Diamondbacks on Friday, the team announced.
Other details for Citi Field goings-on that day: Parking lots open at 9:40 a.m. The Tom Seaver statue unveiling ceremony is at 10:30 a.m. Gates open at 10:40 a.m. Game time is set for 1:10 p.m.
Extra bases
Showalter on the three-batter minimum rule, which burned the Mets when Joely Rodriguez had to face J.T. Realmuto (homer) on Monday: “I would rather we didn’t have it.” . . . Righthander Yennsy Diaz cleared waivers and the Mets sent him to Triple-A Syracuse. He had been designated for assignment last week when the club had to make room for righthander Adonis Medina, who was acquired from the Pirates.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
