Left to decide between Patrick Corbin, Zack Godley and Taijuan Walker as their starter against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the National League Division Series, the Arizona Diamondbacks are handing the ball to Walker.
Unlike Corbin and Godley, he was left off the Diamondbacks’ active roster for the NL Wild Card Game as a safety net. Because Robbie Ray was pressed into relief duty after Zack Greinke only went 3.2 innings, Arizona is beginning the NLDS in a bit of a hole.
Though, at minimum, Walker was given advance notice of the possibility. “I was ready. I was prepared,” he said of being named the Game 1 starter. “They told me to be ready for either Game 1 or Game 2.”
“I’m excited. … I’ve done my research. I’ve faced them a couple times this year, so they’ve seen me a little bit too. So I think it should be a pretty good matchup.”
Walker went 2-0 with a 3.24 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in his three starts against the Dodgers, with both of the victories coming at Dodger Stadium. Overall this season, the 25-year-old was 9-9 with a 3.49 ERA, 4.04 FIP and 1.33 WHIP in his first season with the Diamondbacks.
Friday’s start will be Walker’s first in the postseason. That it’s coming opposite Clayton Kershaw adds further pressure. “I think the biggest thing is to just focus on myself, focus on my game plan, focus on the pitches I have to execute,” Walker said.
Beyond seeing it firsthand with Greinke in an uncharacteristic outing, starting pitchers who made their playoff debut this October have struggled. “I think the biggest thing is controlling our emotions and taking it one pitch at a time,” Walker said of the environment.
“I think you can’t go out there and let the adrenaline really get to you. You have to take a deep breath every pitch and really focus on each pitch.”
