Taijuan Walker
Dave Dombrowski has done a phenomenal job signing free agents during his time as president of baseball operations for the Philadelphia Phillies. Recently released super-utilityman Whit Merrifield is one of the latest examples of a player who didn't work out. But the most glaring mistake of Dombrowski's tenure has to be the $72 million, four-year deal signed by right-hander Taijuan Walker last season.
Walker wasn't a complete disappointment during his first season in Philadelphia in 2023, putting together a 15-6 record with a 4.38 ERA, striking out 138 and leading the team in wins. But while those numbers may look good on the surface, Walker's starts were typically short affairs. When the postseason rolled around, manager Rob Thomson opted to skip Walker completely despite being on the roster. It was telling how much Thomson had lost faith in Walker as the workload on the relief corps in the NLCS pushed towards the level of excessive.
This year has been a total disaster for Walker. Following multiple injuries, ineffectiveness and a noticeable drop in velocity, Walker has been on the IL since June 23. With rookie Tyler Phillips now 2-0 and filling in capably as the fifth starter, a possible replacement could already be on the roster.
With the Phillies reported to also be sniffing around the market for starting pitching, Walker could find himself relegated to a long relief role if he fails to impress when he's eventually activated from the IL at some point in August.