PHOENIX -- As he walked down the line to begin his warmups Sunday, D-backs right-hander
As planned, Walker threw just the first inning. He allowed a one-out double to Wil Myers before retiring the next two hitters. Of the 15 pitches he threw, 11 were strikes.\n\n“It was fun,” Walker said. “I had a good time out there. I was a little emotional before I walked out there. Warming up and stuff, it was just crazy. Two seasons -- just straight rehab, mentally just grinding and trying to get through it.\n\n“I felt like I had good control. Threw the one slider; I was praying it didn’t go out. I legit was praying that it didn’t go out. I felt like my changeup was really good.”\n\nWalker’s last appearance in a Major League game was April 14, 2018, when he started against the Dodgers. He was removed from that game after two innings when he experienced pain in his right elbow.
\n\nThe team takes a moment during today's game to say #ThanksDbacksFans for your support and passion all season long. We tip our caps to you. \uD83D\uDC4F pic.twitter.com/6pLu3iXRLt
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) September 29, 2019
It turned out to be a torn ulnar collateral ligament, and Walker underwent Tommy John surgery later that month.\n\nJust as he was nearing a return to action this past May, he suffered a right shoulder capsule sprain. That put him out of action for six weeks and forced him to start building his pitch count back up from scratch.\n\nThere was some question as to whether he would pitch again this year, but Walker desperately wanted to make it happen.\n\nAfter all the rehab and lonely days at the team’s Salt River Fields Spring Training complex, he wanted to prove to himself that he was fully recovered.
“\\[Checked\\] the final box,” he said. “Even right now, I feel really good. I can go into the offseason knowing, ‘Hey, I’m 100 percent completely healthy. I can have a normal offseason and just get ready for Spring Training.’”\n\nThat’s the next step for Walker’s teammates, as well, after finishing the season with five straight wins to bring their final record to 85-77.\n\nThe D-backs grinded right up until the last play, as