Cubs miss out on free-agent pitcher Taijuan Walker

The Cubs had former first-round pick Taijuan Walker in for a workout in Arizona on Monday, but he’s not headed to the North Side.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that Walker is in agreement on a deal with the Seattle Mariners.

Pitcher Taijuan Walker and the Seattle Mariners are in agreement on a one-year, $2 million contract, league sources tell ESPN. Walker can earn up to $3 million total based on incentives.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 12, 2020

Walker blew through the minors to make his debut with Seattle back in 2013 at the age of 21. He has a career 3.95 ERA in 94 major league starts and three relief appearances.

He now will rejoin the organization that drafted him back in 2010.

Injuries have derailed him since he posted a 3.49 ERA in 157.1 innings in 2017 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Walker has thrown 14 innings in the two years since.

Walker would have been a low-cost addition that could have turned into a solid big league starter for the back end of the rotation. Instead, Tyler Chatwood remains the favorite for the No. 5 spot with Adbert Alzolay also a candidate.