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WASHINGTON — Taijuan Walker will complete the Mets’ first turn through the rotation when he gets the ball Monday in Philadelphia.
The Mets are counting on the right-hander to take the baton and continue a torrid stretch by their starting pitchers to begin the season.
Through four games, Mets starters — Tylor Megill, Max Scherzer, Chris Bassitt and Carlos Carrasco — own a 1.59 ERA. Each of the four pitchers lasted at least five innings. Carrasco allowed only one run over 5 ²/₃ innings Sunday in the Mets’ 4-2 loss to the Nationals.
Walker departed his final spring training start with knee soreness, but in recent days indicated it wasn’t an issue and he’s ready for his season debut.
But the Mets also have an insurance policy if Walker’s knee is an issue: David Peterson is available after he was placed on the roster over the weekend to take Edwin Diaz’s spot.
Diaz was placed on the bereavement list following his grandfather’s death.
Walker underwent surgery in January to remove damaged cartilage from his right knee. The right-hander is coming off a season in which he pitched to a 4.47 ERA in 30 appearances for the Mets.
Diaz may return to the team Monday, according to manager Buck Showalter, but wouldn’t be eligible to rejoin the roster until the following day. There is a three-day minimum removal from the roster for a player placed on the bereavement list.
Following Sunday’s loss — in which the Nationals scored three runs in the eighth inning — Showalter was asked about the challenge of not having Diaz.
“We talk about it in the spring,” Showalter said. “There’s going to be times like this, so it’s part of life. Somebody very dear to him passed away and he needed to go. He will get back when he gets back. We have got the people to do the job.”
Nelson Cruz’s homer was No. 450 in his career. Cruz has hit 385 of those homers since his 30th birthday. Only Barry Bonds (509), Babe Ruth (430) Rafael Palmeiro (414) and Hank Aaron (413) are ahead of him in that category.
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