Lately, following the Seattle Mariners has been a lot like the first time your new phone starts to show the latest defect of the newest model. Sure, the screen is big, and honestly it's a way better phone, but man that damn grey line won't go away. Enter the newest case of the Mondays you didn't know you had:
Walker's tendon tested out ok Sun but they want pictures to be sure. Could make start, could get pushed a couple of days, could be other.
— Shannon Drayer (@shannondrayer) June 20, 2016
That's right ladies and gentlebugs, Taijuan Walker is flying back to Seattle, likely as we speak, to get an MRI on his right foot. It's one of those "injuries" where I have no means of speculating how this plays out long term. The right foot is, obviously, where Tai drives his weight from through his motion. It could be something as simple as a sharp pain when he raises his leg, to a pull in the arch when he finishes through with his hips and his foot changes shape.
The good news is that it sounds like it isn't dire. If they're thinking he could make his next start, it's simply precautionary. However, the mere fact that they want to take pictures, means this has likely been bugging Tai for several starts. This all comes at a rather bad time for all of us. While the Mariners have watched Ketel Marte, Leonys Martin, Felix Hernandez, Wade Miley, and now perhaps Tai, hit the DL, the Rangers have caught fire. Over the past fourteen games, the Mariners have posted a +4 run differential. They've gone 5-9.
The breaks are due to come. Let's hope for the best for Tai. We may see Zach Lee quicker than we thought.