Christian Walker missed more than a month with an oblique injury and his power stroke didn’t immediately follow him to the active roster.
But a couple days off seemed to help and Walker will look to follow up a two-homer outing when the Arizona Diamondbacks close a two-game set against the Texas Rangers on Wednesday afternoon in Phoenix.
The homers in the 6-0 victory Tuesday were the first for Walker since he returned to action on Sept. 3.
Walker went 3-for-15 in his first four games before sitting out Sunday’s victory over the Houston Astros. The Diamondbacks were off Monday prior to Tuesday’s solid effort that saw Walker go the opposite field to right for both homers.
“My timing has been feeling just a tick off,” Walker said. “You have to keep it simple and try to hit the ball hard. Luckily, they were on my side.”
Walker hit a solo shot in the first inning and a two-run blast in the third. He has 25 homers in 113 games.
His previous homer was July 24. Walker was injured against the Washington Nationals on July 29.
“I felt like I was due,” Walker said of the blasts against Texas. “It was good to help the team win. This team has been winning a lot. It was just fortunate I was able to do that. It’s fun to be part of this lineup.”
Joc Pederson also homered — immediately before Walker in the first inning.
Arizona (81-64) stands a half-game behind the San Diego Padres for the top National League wild-card berth. The Diamondbacks lead the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets by two games.
The Rangers (70-75) are barely clinging to life in the American League wild-card race.
Texas has to overtake five teams over its final 17 games. The Minnesota Twins currently hold the final spot.
The Rangers aren’t waving the white flag as top prospect Kumar Rocker (No. 3 overall pick in 2022) will start Thursday, two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom (Tommy John surgery) will pitch for the first time in 16-plus months on Friday and three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer (shoulder) will start Saturday.
“I’m very excited, it’s a fun week,” Rangers general manager Chris Young said. “Any time you get to debut one of your top prospects and you get two of the best pitchers in the game back, (it’s great).”
The Rangers had just three hits on Tuesday. Rookie Wyatt Langford had two hits and two steals.
Right-hander Merrill Kelly (4-0, 4.08 ERA) will start for the Diamondbacks on Wednesday.
Kelly, 35, received a no-decision against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday when he gave up two runs and six hits over seven innings.
Kelly gave up 16 runs (14 earned) in 16 1/3 innings over his previous three starts.
Kelly won his lone regular-season start against Texas in 2020 when he gave up one run and three hits over 7 2/3 innings. He notched Arizona’s lone victory over the Rangers in last season’s World Series when he gave up one run and three hits over seven innings in Game 2.
Marcus Semien is 1-for-6 with three strikeouts against Kelly.
Left-hander Cody Bradford (5-2, 3.05) will start for Texas. He has allowed a total of five earned runs in his five victories.
Bradford, 26, beat the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday when he gave up one run and two hits over six innings. He was 0-2 over his previous four starts.
Bradford pitched two scoreless innings over two appearances in the World Series. He has never faced Arizona in the regular season.
Eugenio Suarez homered off Bradford in his lone at-bat.
–Field Level Media
