Phillies finally make long overdue Taijuan Walker decision 

Following Wednesday’s implosion against the Houston Astros, many knew that the writing was on the wall for Taijuan Walker and his spot in the Philadelphia Phillies rotation.

With his job security on the line, Walker picked the worst possible game to have his worst start of the season. He still went six innings, but that was the only positive stat to come out of his performance as he gave up six earned runs on a whopping 13 hits while recording zero strikeouts. Hebecame a part of Phillies’ history in the process.

After all of that, something had to be done before the ship sank even more. On Thursday, the Phillies finally made a decision on Walker and his future with the club.

However, it might not be the exact decision that most had been expecting. Phillies’ manager Rob Thomson announced that Walker will be moving to the bullpen, per Todd Zolecki of MLB.com.

Phillies finally make long overdue Taijuan Walker decision with move to the bullpen

As to why Thomson made such a bold decision, he explained that to media before Thursday’s game.

”He’s [Walker] not the same guy that he was,” Thomson said. “Hopefully with work over … the rest of the season and through the offseason that we get that velocity back and that stuff back.”

In terms of how Walker will be deployed out of the bullpen, the Phillies’ manager explained further.

”Probably a long man,” Thomson said. “There’s a transition that you gotta do … when he first gets down there … the perfect situation would be one inning, low leverage, and then start building him from there.”

After putting together a solid first year with the Phillies in 2023 by leading the team in wins, Walker has struggled immensely with injuries and inconsistency throughout the current season. In 14 starts, he has posted a 3-6 record with an abysmal 6.50 ERA and 1.64 WHIP while giving up a whopping 18 home runs in just 70 2/3 innings pitched. More worrisome is the fact that Walker has given up 18 earned runs on 29 hits including six home runs in just 17 2/3 innings of work since coming off the injured list. With his struggles amplifying after each passing game, it forced the Phillies’ hand to act before it became too late.

Walker has been predominantly a starter throughout his MLB career, as he has just four games coming out of the bullpen under his belt. Therefore, this surprising yet much-needed move is one that will be headed toward uncharted territory for both himself and the Phillies. If Walker manages to drastically turn things around and rediscovers his game under his new circumstances, then Philadelphia will end up looking like geniuses. However, if he ends up faltering even more, it could ultimately spell the end of his tenure with the club for good.

Nevertheless, both Walker and the Phillies will surely hope that the former will come true to maximize the success for both parties involved going forward. As for the Phillies faithful, we just need to hold our breath and hope for the best.