The Diamondbacks have placed right-hander Taijuan Walker on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to Saturday, with a blister. His roster spot will go to left-hander T.J. McFarland, who’s coming off the DL.
Injury notwithstanding, Walker has gotten off to a nice start in Arizona, which acquired him as part of an offseason trade that saw the club send Jean Segura and Mitch Haniger to Seattle. Formerly a top prospect, the 24-year-old Walker has logged a 3.46 ERA, 7.96 K/9, 3.12 BB/9 and a 50 percent ground-ball rate across 52 innings. In his latest start, a win over the Padres on Friday, Walker pitched six scoreless innings of two-hit ball.
With Walker temporarily on the shelf and Shelby Miller out for the year, the D-backs are down two starters from their season-opening rotation. Zack Greinke, Robbie Ray and Patrick Corbin remain in place, while Zack Godley has been excellent since joining the rotation in the wake of Miller’s injury. Along with Walker and Miller, those four have helped Arizona jump out to a 26-18 record, though the loss of Walker figures to make life more difficult for the club. With no off days on the horizon, the D-backs will have to find a short-term replacement for Walker. That could be Triple-A righty Braden Shipley, who’s among seven pitchers to make at least one start for the team this season.
The injury is a blister so he should hopefully only miss a start or two. Not concerned.
“uh oh” – Rich Hill and Aaron Sanchez in unison
I doubt it’s much of anything; the 10-day DL was, in my opinion, the compromise between teams and the MLBPA in the latest CBA. The union wanted to expand active rosters to 26 or 27 players, the owners didn’t. So the 10-day DL is a way to manipulate rosters to carry a sort of “taxi squad” of a few extra players. It’s fairly easy to put starters on the 10-day DL; it’s just one start they’ll miss usually, and it’s a convenient way to limit their innings.
MLB does have a requirement for proof of an actual injury when a team puts a player on the DL, but most players are playing through little nagging injuries all the time.
Good point Davidcoonce
They can have a “sore” shoulder, or any kind of “strain” at any time. I would use this to limit my young pitchers, and give them rest. And even hitters are are ice cold and could use a break in action. It’s a very long season.
No mention of Archie Bradley possibly going into the rotation? Does Arizona really like him in the pen that much?
To be fair, Rodney could officially blow up any minute and Bradley is the best option in the 9th.