AROUND THE HORN
Mets: Right-hander Taijuan Walker was put on the 10-day injured list Tuesday because of bursitis in his pitching shoulder, the latest setback to the Mets’ rotation. Walker threw two perfect innings Monday night against the Phillies in his season debut, then was pulled after 30 pitches. Walker was 7-11 with a 4.47 ERA last season, his first with the Mets, and was picked for the National League All-Star team. The Mets already were missing two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom. He was sidelined before opening day because of inflammation around his shoulder blade, a problem that could keep him from pitching in the majors until June. Three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer is set to pitch Wednesday against the Phillies. He had a hamstring issue during spring training, but was able to start last weekend against the Nationals.
White Sox: RHP Lucas Giolito (abdominal strain) and OF AJ Pollock (right hamstring strain) were placed on the IL. Giolito is expected to miss only a two starts after leaving opening day after four innings Friday. Pollock already was on paternity leave, so the White Sox said it would be better to just put him on the IL so they can assess his hamstring injury when he returns later in the week.
Cubs: Seiya Suzuki homered twice, Drew Smyly pitched five scoreless innings and the Cubs beat the host Pirates 2-1. Suzuki connected for leadoff shots in the fifth and seventh. One of the top players in Japan, Suzuki signed a fiveyear, $85 million contract with the Cubs last month. Smyly (1-0) permitted three hits and walked none in his Cubs debut. The lefthander agreed to a one-year contract last month. Smyly also signed a two-year, $10 million contract with the Cubs in December 2017, but he never pitched for the team. Working his way back from Tommy John surgery, he ran out of time to get into a big league game in 2018 and was traded to the Rangers that November. José Quintana (0-1) made his first appearance for the Pirates, pitching five effective innings against one of his former teams. The veteran lefty joined the Pirates as a free agent in November.
Red Sox: Rafael Devers singled through the open shortstop area with the infield shifted to the right side, driving in the go-ahead run in the eighth as the visiting Red Sox overcame a three-run deficit to beat the Tigers 5-3. Garrett Whitlock (1-0) pitched four hitless innings to win in his first appearance since the Red Sox announced his four-year, $18.75 million contract Sunday. Hirokazu Sawamura also got two outs in hitless relief of starter Rich Hill, who allowed three runs and five hits in 4
innings. Whitlock allowed just one baserunner, on a sixth-inning walk to Jeimer Candelario, in an efficient 39-pitch outing. Devers had a pair of RBI singles, raising his average to .381, and Kiké Hernández doubled twice for the Red Sox. The Tigers’ Spencer Torkelson, the top pick of the 2020 amateur draft, doubled in the third inning for his first big league hit after an 0-for10 start. The ball dropped in right-center, 309 feet from the plate, in front of the glove of diving RF Christian Arroyo.