Mets' Taijuan Walker leaves final spring training start with knee soreness

The New York Mets are already the walking wounded ahead of Thursday's Opening Day matchup at the Washington Nationals. 

Per Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News, New York starting right-hander Taijuan Walker exited his final spring-training appearance with knee soreness. Walker underwent knee surgery in January and, per ESPN stats, surrendered six earned runs and two home runs in only 1.1 innings of work in Tuesday's 14-0 blowout loss to Washington. 

"Felt alright," Walker explained after his final start of the preseason. "Came out, my knee was a little sore. Bugging me a little bit. I was using all arm, so we didn’t want to push it. So we just shut it down." 

Some good news, though, is that Thosar noted Walker said he doesn't think he'll miss a regular-season start. He could take the bump as soon as next Monday at the Philadelphia Phillies.

"I think I put too much stress on it and it started aching a little bit throughout the week," Walker added. "We thought it would go away. Still, nothing concerning. But just precautionary reasons, wanted to come out." 

Walker, 29, posted a record of 7-11 with a 4.47 ERA in 30 appearances and 29 starts for the Mets last season, and he now joins aces Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer among New York pitchers who are dealing with physical setbacks in early April. 

It's assumed deGrom will remain sidelined through at least the end of May with a stress reaction in the scapula of his pitching shoulder while Scherzer has a hamstring issue but is on track to start Friday's game at Washington.