DUNEDIN, Fla. – One day after apologizing to his team and his family, Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker was back in uniform conducting business as usual with the Toronto pitching staff at the team’s spring training facilities.
After Walker was arrested and charged with driving under the influence early Friday morning, the team declined to comment in detail on the situation. But as of Sunday morning, the pending charges hadn’t substantially impacted the club’s day-to-day plans.
“He’ll be here working the game,” Montoyo said. “That’s under investigation. That’s all I know about that, but I know he’ll be here for the game.”
Asked whether Walker had addressed the team privately, Montoyo declined to comment.
“That’s for Pete to talk about,” he said.
Along with the question of how the Blue Jays proceed internally, there’s the matter of whether Walker has any issues returning to Toronto ahead of the team’s home opener on April 8. In Canada, DUI convictions have been punished more severely since 2018. While the legal process unfolds, the Blue Jays are declining to comment in more detail.
“The Toronto Blue Jays are aware of the recent police incident involving Pete Walker,” a Blue Jays statement read. “The club is currently gathering more information and out of respect for the legal process, there will be no further comment at this time.”
Walker has been the team’s pitching coach since 2013, earning credit for helping the likes of J.A. Happ, Steven Matz and Robbie Ray succeed, among others.
“There was a traffic incident on Thursday night that I was involved in. Obviously, I’m very apologetic to the Blue Jay organization, Blue Jays fans, and my family,” Walker said in a statement Saturday. “It’s something that I’m working through with my attorney to get a resolution to right now. Obviously, my apologies to my three daughters as well. Right now we’re working through it with my attorney for a resolution in this. And that’s the only comment I’ll have right now.”
