Taijuan Walker Injury: Updates on Mariners Pitcher's Foot and Return

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Taijuan Walker left a June 14 start against the Tampa Bay Rays with a foot injury. Despite being cleared to return for a June 19 start against the Boston Red Sox, Walker's injury flared up.

However, he has been cleared to return.

Continue for updates.

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Walker Active vs. Orioles

Thursday, June 30

Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reported Walker will start against the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday.

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Servais Comments on Walker's Injury

Tuesday, June 21

Mariners manager Scott Servais told reporters that Walker's MRI did not reveal structural damage. Servais added that Walker is suffering from tendinitis and that it's "still pretty tender."

Walker will "likely" need "a few extra days" or a trip to the disabled list, per Servais.

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Walker Removed During Start with Recurrence of Injury

Sunday, June 19

Servais told reporters that Walker's removal from the game after five innings was due to foot tendinitis, adding that he's "concerned going forward." Servais added that Walker's pain was "to the point where they couldn't take him any further in the game."

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Walker Injury Details Revealed 

Tuesday, June 14

Walker suffered an injury to the tendon in the arch of his foot, according to Johns, who clarified that it wasn't a Achilles injury, as originally announced by the Mariners. 

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Walker Comments on Injury 

Tuesday, June 14

"It’s not as bad as I thought it was," said Walker after the game, via Dutton. "It’s just a little tendinitis."

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Walker Stabilizes Rotation 

Prior to the injury, Walker had 14 appearances with a 3.45 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 70 strikeouts in 75.2 innings pitched. There was steady improvement from his totals in 2015, when he posted a 4.56 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP in 29 starts.

Despite the better numbers, he has still struggled giving up the long ball. He allowed 25 home runs last year and 12 in his first 67.1 innings this season. Walker also gave up two more homers (Dickerson and Pearce) before being injured.

Walker was coming off his best start of the 2016 campaign, which makes the timing of this setback all the more disappointing from Seattle’s perspective. He pitched eight shutout innings and allowed a mere three hits against the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday and also struck out 11 batters.

Seattle is already chasing the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros in the American League West, and it won’t get any easier if Walker can't stay healthy for the remainder of the season.