The Philadelphia Phillies moved struggling pitcher Taijuan Walker to the bullpen, as announced by manager Rob Thomson on Thursday. This came after Walker started against the Houston Astros on Wednesday. He allowed six earned runs on 13 hits while walking a batter. Additionally, Walker failed to record a strikeout. Thomson said after the game that the Phillies were going to reevaluate if Walker should remain in the rotation. In his last seven outings, he has a 0-5 record with a 7.36 ERA and 23 strikeouts. Since returning from the injured list on August 13, Walker has a 0-3 record with a 9.17 ERA and 10 strikeouts in four starts. He has a 7.81 FIP and a 1.30 strikeout-to-walk ratio in that span.
The Phillies are moving Taijuan Walker to the bullpen, Rob Thomson said. They’ll call someone up to start Tuesday in Toronto. Good chance it’s Tyler Phillips.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) August 29, 2024
With the Phillies having an off day on September 2, the next game a fifth starter will be needed for is on September 3. Matt Gelb of The Athletic indicated that Tyler Phillips is the frontrunner to be called up to start that game. The waiting period to be recalled after being optioned does not go away when rosters expand, as noted by Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. This means that Kolby Allard will not be starting that game. That is unless someone goes on the injured list, paternity list or restricted list. Phillips will be eligible to be called up in the days leading up to that September 3 game. Seth Johnson, Michael Rucker, Freddy Tarnok, and Kyle Tyler are the other eligible pitchers on the Phillies 40-man roster.
Phillies Move Struggling Pitcher Taijuan Walker To Bullpen
New Role For Walker
Thomson said that Walker will be used in low-leverage situations out of the bullpen. He has a 1.56 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a 1.92 WHIP with a 7.44 FIP in those situations this season. Opposing batters have a .328 batting average and a .344 BABIP against him in low leverage. Walker has pitched 30 2/3 innings in low-leverage situations this season. The expectation is that he will be used in low-leverage, long-relief situations going forward. Spencer Turnbull is expected to come back at some point in September. However, he will not make any starts. For right now at least, Walker and Turnbull will be sharing long relief duties at some point in September.
Limited Relief Pitching Experience
Walker has four relief appearances in his major league career. In 14 innings pitched out of the pen, he has a 3.21 ERA and a 2.14 FIP. His most recent relief appearance came in 2021. As a reliever, Walker has a 6.50 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a 1.36 WHIP. Additionally, opposing batters have a .288 batting average and a .362 BABIP against him out of the bullpen. Walker gives the Phillies another relief option if they need a pitcher to go multiple innings in a blowout. It is reasonable to assume that he has made his last start in a Phillies uniform at this point. Walker should not be on the Phillies roster come the start of the 2025 season.
Contract Complicates Things
One thing potentially preventing Walker from being released is his contract. With more than five years of major league service time, he essentially cannot be optioned to the minor leagues. No other team would claim Walker on waivers and take on the rest of the contract. Walker will not be designated for assignment because of how it works procedurally. There are two years left on his contract beyond the 2024 season. The 32-year-old is scheduled to make $18 million in 2025 and 2026, and by releasing him, the Phillies would have to absorb the remaining money in its entirety. Walker being traded in the offseason seems unlikely. Regardless of how much of the contract the Phillies pay, no team is likely to make that trade.
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