The best remaining MLB free agents as camps open

No. 2 Taijuan Walker

Like Rosenthal, Taijuan Walker is seemingly recovered from a 2018 Tommy John procedure; like Rosenthal, Walker is a ranked among ESPN MLB free agents – he is 13 slots below Rosenthal’s no. 18. Unlike Rosenthal, Walker is a career-long starter.

This is for the benefit of East Coast fans, minus those in Toronto, since Walker pitched so long in MLB’s two western conferences, for Seattle and Arizona. The big right-hander, who leans heavily on his fastball, curve, and a newly adopted split-fingered pitch, posted a 4-3 record and 2.70 ERA between the Mariners and Blue Jays last season.

The split seems to have replaced his change-up, adding a wrinkle (he hopes) to a pitch thrown about as hard. Walker’s split and his change (which has been completely abandoned, according to Fangraphs) both clock speeds about five to six mph below his fastball.

That pitch has been a remarkably consistent 93-94 mph for the hurler’s entire career, including the shortened year of his surgery and the following, quite shortened campaign.

Entering his age-28 season, Walker seemingly projects as neither a rotation’s ace, nor its no. five starter. The most encouraging sign on the back of his baseball card is last season’s ERA, which included a 1.37 figure after his move into the AL East.

This would seem to argue for the Blue Jays re-signing Walker. His contract last season called for $2 million, so common sense would suggest a bit more is not nutty at all for the Jays.

However, Walker’s price tag might also make him the most attractive among all MLB free agents for a team like the Phillies, whose rotation is weakish once they pass Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler.

The Tigers are also supposedly interested in Walker.