The Pirates re-signed left-hander Josh Walker to a minor league deal earlier this week, as noted by Alex Stumpf of MLB.com. Walker was dealt from the Mets to the Pirates at the trade deadline last month but was designated for assignment shortly thereafter. Walker suffered an undisclosed injury shortly after joining the Pirates and, as a result, could not be placed on outright waivers when Pittsburgh designated him for assignment. As such, the club evidently instead released Walker before re-signing him to a minor league deal to clear his spot on the 40-man roster while still retaining him in the organization.
Walker, 29, was picked by the Mets in the 37th round of the 2017 draft. The lefty struggled to stay on the field early in his professional career with just 29 total affiliated appearances from 2017 to 2019, most of which came in relief. Following the cancelled minor league season in 2020, Walker returned to action as a starting pitcher in the minors and rapidly climbed the minor league level but hit a bit of a wall at Triple-A, where he struggled to a 5.19 ERA with a strikeout rate of just 15.8% in nine starts.
Those difficulties as a starter in the upper levels of the minors combined with an injury-marred 2022 season led Walker to move back into a relief role in 2023. He put together a dominant performance at Triple-A that year, posting a sparkling 1.84 ERA in 29 1/3 innings while striking out a fantastic 33.3% of batters faced. That excellent work in the minors was enough to earn Walker his first big league call-up at the age of 28 last year, but the lefty struggled in the majors as he allowed eleven runs, nine of them earned, and walked an elevated 12.5% of batters faced in ten big league innings last year. 2024 was more of the same during his time in the Mets organization, as he struck out 31% of batters faced with a strong 2.84 ERA but walked 10.9% of opponents with a lackluster ERA of 5.10.
Walker seemed likely to get another look in the majors with the Pirates at some point this year but his aforementioned injury seems to have derailed things for him, at least for the time being. With few details available regarding Walker’s injury and his timetable for return it’s unclear when or if he’ll pitch again this season, but with less than a year of service time in the big leagues and one minor league option remaining it’s easy to imagine the lefty being an interesting longer-term piece given his recent success at Triple-A.
how about promoting Cook and Yorke, then send Taylor packing?
And find an attitude adjuster for Hayes. He seems to have not a care in the world in the batters box
Careful, my friend. Someone will post analytics gobblety gook that will tell you that what you see from the guy is not real and that his glove alone makes him worth his contract
good point. SenorFigs, I always forget how much Hayes contributes to the Pirates success
( cough cough)
His glove is still good, but even that has fallen off. Is there injury, does the crappy hitting play into it? Idk, but he certainly fell off from where he was at even last year.
Taylor’s glove is still good, but what does he contribute to this team’s offense? Less than Hayes does and that’s pretty bad
I’m not a Hayes fan by any means (his lack of offense is incredibly frustrating), but he has the highest fielding percentage in the league among third basemen. How is that “fallen off”?
The discussion is about his offense not his defense but if you want to talk about his defense, he’s committed more throwing errors so far this year than all of last year and he’s played in less games due to his back injury and offensive woes
Fair point. I guess all the third basemen suck more this year. But at least most of them can hit. And when they don’t (see Arenado), they’re as mad as we are. Not Hayes. He walks off the field wondering what he’s going to have for dinner later.
Well remember that play in the field where the other team his a ball in the gap and he took his glove off to eat sun flower seeds before the play was over? His attitude isn’t new.
what’s worse is the lack of discipline from the manager when that type of stuff happens
Yes the ANALytic nerds are ruining sports. ANALytics causes coaches and managers to micro manage. Look no further than ANALYTIC MORON SHELTON.
And this fixation the pirates have with Williams is mind boggling. He’s as useless as a ashtray on a motorcycle.
You trade for Yorke and then bury him. And wheres Peguaro???? THIS manager and general manager might as well tell the fans that they give up this season. With the moronic roster moves. As I said before nutbag Nutting has made one of the sports iconic franchises into a joke.
Look at all of the other threads on this site, teams selecting players from their minor league teams, players being released, prospects being selected and what are the threads about with the Bucs and there’s three in the past 4 days?
Re signing 2 pitchers to minor league contracts, putting Cutch on the IL and promoting one of the worst hitting players in their system ( Williams) and I suspect he will be playing in today’s game because, like Hayes, he brings alot of offense to this team
( barf batf)
Read Gene Collier’s column in today’s PG about strikeouts. That last line describes Hayes perfectly
He interviews Clint Hurdle who for my money did a fantastic job here but that was a different era, with a better GM and at a time when Nutting was on board with spending a bit to win
Gene Collier is maybe my favorite sports writer ever, and one of my favorite writers. He’s an absolute treasure.
Agree 100%. I share his views on virtually everything.
But I do have to say that even the most vanilla writers at the PG and Trib have grown weary of this owner, GM, manager and team
Sorry Mickey. I never muted anyone before but literally all you do is tell people you muted them. I know you enjoy it. I am sorry your life is so bad right now. Hang in their buddy. And please mute me back if it makes you feel better. But maybe you should talk to someone? Give it a try maybe. See if it helps. Best of luck to you.
It’s my belief that Hurdle unfairly took the fall for the failures of Huntington and didn’t deserve to lose his job as a result, but Nutting’s approach of not being involved in day to day operations of this team was the reason Clint was gone as manager and I agree, SenorFigs, Clint did a fantastic job as manager
Jim Leyland is revered in this town as a saint, and rightly so. But he didn’t want to stick around for a rebuild and went to Miami
In a similar sense, Clint stayed on as it was firesale time and then took the fall for it
Kind of ironic. Yeah, Huntington wandered off the blueprint in his last couple years but to me, night and day management compared to what’s here now
If Cherington had been serious about being contenders for the playoff spot, even after the 10 game losing streak, he would have given Bubba Chandler or Mike Burrows a spot start in place of Woodford.
Especially considering Woodford sucks and they’re playing for the sweep against the Mariners.
But he’s not serious
Did it look like to you the team quit playing for Clint? Either way he had to go from management perspective. They traded oh boy did they ever for Kela and Archer. That was a all in go for the playoffs move. And Clint failed in 2018 and failed miserably in 2019. It wasn’t enough. Team wasn’t good enough but according to management they were. And it looked like to me they weren’t playing hard for him. And like Haines, Searge needed to be fired and they just kept him.
He claims he is serious
“We set out to be better in 2024 than we were in 2023,” Cherington said on 93.7 The Fan. “That goal hasn’t changed. That’s still our focus. We’re putting all of our energy toward that. … What we want to accomplish in 2024 is still ahead of us.”
Sounds like he has finally accepted there is not going to be any October baseball. That 10 game stretch almost put the final nail in the coffin. But as of yesterday they were 6 games back of wild card. Still a month and a half of baseball left. Some gms would still fight. This guys a loser. Needs fired.
German Woodford Williams is not putting all your energy into getting better.
#FireCherington
I can’t stand losers. Only thing I can’t stand more is liars. Cherington is both. Fire this piece if it now.
“Coming into the year, and even today, we have felt that what’s best for the Pirates and what’s best for Oneil Cruz are the same thing. We think Oneil Cruz playing shortstop is to our advantage and try and figure out what he can do at the position. We have a good chunk of the season past us, so we have a better picture than we had in spring training. He’s our shortstop.”
You make valid points about Clint and his management during those playoffs.
I would still take him over Shelton though
He’s so serious that he is allowing certain players to fly to Dallas to face the Texans in a three game series starting tomorrow night again instead of dfa-ing them and promoting their replacements so he can “ prove “ how serious he is
I just can’t believe how much he lies about his faith in players who don’t belong on this roster
Have you seen any good movies of late Paul? I gave my 2 recommendations at the bottom of comments section. Any good tv shows? I watch a few. But they only make 8 episodes these days. I bet you are a Yellowstone guy. It’s gone down hill but was very good. Reminds me of sons of anarchy but ranchers instead of bikers. I liked Reacher and terminal list on Amazon. 8 episodes though so wasn’t much entertainment. Looked briefly to find something to watch. Looks like I am just going to work and play video games. Doesn’t solve my problem of what to do while I am eating. Pretty much have to stare at a screen. Thankful for YouTube.
Not following the context but Hurdle did some strange things. As did Leyland. As did Tanner, especially. And Murtaugh
But this guy manages too often like he doesn’t want to win
I was a Yellowstone guy for the first few years of its existence but the story line became repetitive and boring so I stopped watching it. I am a big Kevin Costner fan and like just about every movie he’s made
Michael A Taylor, counting today’s game, he has 89 strikeouts in 95 games and is batting .204.
I just find it mind boggling that he’s still on this team when we have a younger center fielder at Indy and who has a better upside in Billy Cook
Does anyone else have the same beliefs?
He even admits he is the problem. Good. Fire him Mr Nutting
“We had a very difficult stretch,” Cherington said. “Ultimately, I am most responsible for that. We need to continue to make the team better.”
Funny, Cherington has had 122 games to make this team better and instead he runs out a starter ( today) that has no business of even being in the majors let alone a starter.
Granted Williams pinch hit for IKF and hit a double, he isn’t the answer at this moment, especially considering that he was brought up to replace Cutch’s spot on the roster after the latter went on the IL
The player who should have been promoted should have the same offensive production potential than Cutch instead of a Triolo type player.
Ryder Ryan and Heller aren’t the answers either as relievers
Cherington said the Pirates recalled infielder Alika Williams from Triple-A Indianapolis instead of newly acquired second baseman/outfielder Nick Yorke and outfielder Billy Cook because of Williams’ ability to play shortstop, in the event Cruz’s injury would limit him from playing the field.
Umm IKF Triolo can play ss
And Cherington discussed the Pirates’ dramatic drop in Baseball America’s farm talent midseason rankings, where they slipped from No. 3 overall in 2022 to 27th this year, noting “you can put some stock in it” while acknowledging “rankings aren’t perfect.”
Cherington is good at one thing and effectively, he talks a lot without actually saying anything constructive. He also talks down to the fans even though it’s not deliberate
I heard his interview with Greg Brown about moving Cruz to another position and bringing up Williams rather than Yorke.
But I am glad that he is taking responsibility for the 10 game consecutive losses, hopefully Nutting heard it and took notes for when BC is evaluated at season’s end
What he means by “ rankings aren’t perfect “,when they don’t go his way, they aren’t perfect, when they do, they’re perfect
He talks alot to say nothing
This should fix everything.
Someone tell Mickey the Moron that he can kiss my….
Mickey is nothing but a dickey troll
Mickey should get a real woman instead of an inflatable one
But then agsin the inflatable one would mute him
I muted Mickey D Mouse the other day and am a happier man for it
Reynolds strikes out on a pitch nowhere near the plate and Cruz strikes out looking. Does anyone teach these players where the strike zone is and to protect the plate on borderline pitches?
Making an out is expected, not putting the ball in play by striking out is a wasted plate appearance
Hopefully there will be a rain delay and it turns into bullpen game
another throwing error by Cruz, giving him 25 for the season and with the Mariners up to 4 runs already in the second inning with no one warming up in the bullpen, Shelton is conceding this game already
Seattle has taken advantage of our bad starting pitcher to make the case that Cherington has made horrible decisions on who should be starting in place of Jones
He told the Trib that his goal remains the same despite the 10 game losing streak, improve from last year and try to make the playoffs
Has he been watching the same team as we have?
They, as a team, have not improved in any offensive category and are striking out at a faster pace than last year
By the way Taylor just struck out again. This team really sucks
I think today’s movies are mostly awful. I only watched 2 movies that came out in 2024. I plan to watch 1 more the new alien movie when it hits streaming. Looks alright.
I recommend Deadpool only if you used to watched super hero movies. First half hour is brutal but once Hugh Jackman shows up it’s entertaining enough.
Twisters is for everyone. Not as good as original but good enough. Really just trys to stand on its own and succeeds.
World is in trouble though. They keep making Godzilla planet of the apes bad boys transformers Jurassic world etc etc movies and people keep going to see them. Not as many but plenty. I think they are awful.
Anyways I will keep watching the Pirates and their minor league teams until I find something better to do. I am jealous of people who can watch any movie or tv show and find entertainment. I can only work, workout, and play video games so much.
I’m also a big Michael Keaton fan and am looking forward to seeing his new Beetlejuice sequel coming out next month
I read that the director, Tim Burton’s first choice to play the lead character in the original movie was Sammy Davis Jr. The movie wouldn’t have worked without Keaton, who the director said that 90% of his dialogue was improvised
I will, however, continue to follow this team until the end of the season and probably have to increase my heart medication during the last 40 or so games
No reason to have a comma before “as a result.”
An aside to those same editors….
You edited out a reply I made to YourDreamGM with references to Mr Baseball. Either you haven’t seen the movie or are prudish enough to take offense at the comment heard repeatedly in the movie, “Wanna see some naked pictures of your wife”
Morons