Taijuan Walker ‘in good place’ for start vs. Dodgers

LOS ANGELES – There was no question the moment bothered Taijuan Walker, so Diamondbacks pitching coach Mike Butcher made a point to talk to him about it between innings. Walker was not trying to hit Buster Posey in the head in the first inning on Monday afternoon, but Butcher didn’t want it to change the way Walker pitched the rest of the game.

“I didn’t want him to get away from his game plan,” Butcher said. “Part of his game, part of his success, is being able to pitch inside. Every now and then you’re going to hit somebody. It’s not on purpose. Sometimes it’s just a byproduct of getting in there. It’s part of the game.”

Butcher would know. Pitching for the Angels in 1994, he hit the Rangers’ Rusty Greer in the face with a fastball, and he remembers a feeling of dread as he walked off the mound toward the batter’s box to make sure Greer was all right.

He was, and Butcher said the fact that Greer wasn’t seriously hurt probably allowed him to move on from the incident quickly. He believes Walker will be able to do the same, even if Posey wound up with a concussion and landed on the 7-day disabled list.

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“I think he’s in a good place,” Butcher said of Walker.

Walker admitted to being “shaken up” on Monday and still sounded remorseful a day later. On Saturday, he said he’s going to have to put it out of his mind when he takes the mound again on Sunday afternoon against the Dodgers.

“It’s tough,” he said. “I do like to pitch in, and it’s easier for me to pitch in to lefties, but to righties, there’s just some guys you have to pitch in to. I can’t be afraid, I guess, of hitting someone. If I go in there with confidence, I should be able to locate. If I go in there scared, that’s when things can kind of get wild.”

Walker, whom the Diamondbacks acquired in November in a deal that sent infielder Jean Segura and outfielder Mitch Haniger to the Seattle Mariners, has made just two starts with his new club, neither of which have been impressive. He said he’s been pleased with the fact that he hasn’t been at his best in either outing but managed to give the Diamondbacks a chance to win both games.

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“I think the biggest thing is I’ve kind of competed,” he said. “I haven’t had my best stuff out there yet, but I’ve competed.”

He’s worked the past five days on trying to keep his legs involved in his delivery at all times. When he has gotten into jams, he said, he has reverted to old habits, like being too reliant on his fastball and change-ups and on being “all upper body” in his delivery.

During his side session on Friday, Walker stood on the mound in the visitors’ bullpen at Dodger Stadium with a towel in his hand, doing what pitchers refer to as “dry work,” the kind of repetitions they hope become second nature.

“I’m just focused on really getting to my lower body and driving down the slope,” Walker said. “Make sure I’m using my legs. It’s been tough for some reason, but it’s been doing a lot better. I think the dry work we do every day is definitely going to help.”

Reach Piecoro at (602) 444-8680 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @nickpiecoro.

Sunday’s game

Diamondbacks at Dodgers

When: 1:10 p.m.

Where: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles.

Pitchers: Diamondbacks RHP Taijuan Walker (1-1, 4.91) vs. Dodgers LHP Rich Hill (1-0, 1.80).

TV/Radio: FSAZ/KMVP-FM (98.7), KHOV-FM (105.1).

Walker gave up three runs (two earned) in five-plus innings against the Giants on Monday, with all of the runs scoring on one play in the fourth inning on which Walker and catcher Jeff Mathis were charged with throwing errors. … Walker’s first start was only so-so as well; he gave up four runs in six innings against the Giants at Chase Field. … He’s only faced the Dodgers once in his career, in 2015, in an outing in which he gave up five runs in four innings at Dodger Stadium. … Hill gave up one run in five innings in his first start of the year, then missed his second one due to a blister issue. The plan is for him to come off the disabled list to start on Sunday. … Hill, whom the Dodgers acquired from Oakland at the trade deadline last year, re-signed in December for three years and $48 million. … He faced the Diamondbacks once last season, giving up four runs in 5 1/3 innings in a start at Chase Field.

Coming up

Monday: At Los Angeles, 7:10 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Robbie Ray (1-0, 2.19) vs. Dodgers RHP Brandon McCarthy (2-0, 1.50).

Tuesday: At San Diego, 7:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Shelby Miller (1-1, 5.06) vs. Padres RHP Jared Cosart (0-0, 3.86).

Wednesday: At San Diego, 7:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zack Greinke (1-1, 4.32) vs. Padres RHP Zach Lee (1-0, 0.00).