Pirates shut Neil Walker down for the season
By Matt Shetler
Not that it matters much now, but the Pittsburgh Pirates made it official Friday afternoon that second baseman Neil Walker wouldn’t play for the remainder of the season due to lower back soreness.
September 18, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Neil Walker (18) singles against the Milwaukee Brewers during the seventh inning at PNC Park. The Milwaukee Brewers won 6-0. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE
Walker visited a back specialist Friday and was advised to sit out Pittsburgh’s final six games. Walker had missed the last three games and started just six times in September because of the injury.
Walker finishes his season with a .280 batting average, 14 home runs and 69 RBIs in 129 games.
Much of the Pirates struggles go back to when Walker first broke a finger in August. It turns out that Walker will end up missing 30 of the Bucs’ final 45 games (counting the final six), a span in which the Pirates have won a total of only 10 games to date.
Overall, the Pirates have lost 20 of 26 and have to win five of six games to avoid their 20th consecutive losing season.