Mets' Taijuan Walker Returns To All-Star Form In Impressive Start Against Dodgers

While it has been a tale of two halves for Taijuan Walker who has struggled mightily since making his first All-Star appearance in July, the right-hander tossed a gem against the Dodgers' stacked lineup on Saturday night.

Walker stepped up in a big way against the mighty Dodgers, holding them hitless through the first six innings.

And although his no-hit bid was spoiled by Will Smith's solo homer in the seventh, which tied the game, he exited with the tie still intact after 6.2 innings.

With the go-ahead run on third base, left-hander Aaron Loup picked up Walker with a huge strikeout of Cody Bellinger to keep the score tied at 1-1.

Walker's final line was 6.2 innings, giving up one run on two hits, to go along with eight strikeouts and three walks. This proved to be Walker's deepest start since June 15 against the Cubs.

"I wanted to keep going out there and doing what I was doing," said Walker after the game. "Pounding the strike zone and making them put the ball in play."

Walker, who found a ton of success with his two-seam fastball earlier in the year, had his splitter working well last night. He allowed just two hits, which both came in the seventh, while lowering his ERA on the season down to 3.75.

"I thought it was pretty good in my last outing and it carried over to this one," said Walker of his splitter. "They were swinging and missing at it so I kept throwing it."

The right-hander's stellar outing helped keep his team in the game. But unfortunately, the Mets' wasted his gem and were only able to score one run against opposing starter Walker Buehler through the first seven, and the Dodgers' bullpen did the rest to secure a 2-1 victory in extra innings.

While Walker was disappointed by the outcome of this contest, he was satisfied with his performance on the mound.

"I've been going in the right direction the last couple weeks," he said. "I haven't gotten the results I wanted, but arm wise, velocity-wise I've been feeling good."

Mets manager Luis Rojas also liked what he saw from Walker this time out.

"I liked his rhythm," said Rojas. "He was able to throw his four-seam up in the zone and get swings and misses."

"He threw the ball really well. The fastball helps everything else play and he kept the lineup off balance."

After receiving the bad news that Jacob deGrom (right elbow inflammation) will be shutdown for another two weeks, the Mets will need Walker to pitch like he did in the first-half of the season.

And with deGrom's probability to return this season looking bleak, Walker stressed the importance of the rest of the rotation stepping up in their ace's absence.

"We have got to step up every single start," said Walker. "It's tough hearing that news, but we have to do our jobs when we go out there by trying to go deep in games. We have to pick him up and hope he comes back soon."