Phillies' flimsy reasons for sticking with Taijuan Walker are hard to swallow

Just when Philadelphia Phillies fans thought they had witnessed the shambolic end of Taijuan Walker's tenure as a member of the starting rotation this year, manager Rob Thomson announced on Monday that Walker will make his next start on Wednesday during the final game of the team's three-game series versus the Houston Astros.

Following an absolute shelling at the hands of the Kansas City Royals on Aug 23, it was widely assumed that Walker would find himself relegated to a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency role at the back of the bullpen. Apparently Thomson, and influential members of the Phillies front office didn't watch the same game we were all watching on Friday night.

While the majority of us shrunk into our seats in horror watching Walker serve up eight hits (including two home runs) while allowing six earned runs in an abbreviated three innings of work, Thomson and the Phillies coaching staff somehow saw enough progress in his start to send him back to the mound on Wednesday against the AL Central-leading Astros.

All of this leads to a pressing and valid $72 million dollar question: What exactly are the Phillies trying to accomplish here? Because right now, this looks like a team that is wasting a lot of time trying to validate Walker's hefty contract, and not a team trying to field the best team possible and win important baseball games during a critical juncture in the season.

Phillies' flimsy reasons for sticking with Taijuan Walker are hard to swallow

Walker's three-inning disaster on Friday wasn't an isolated incident. During his previous two starts, Walker wasn't much better. In 8 2/3 innings of combined work, the embattled right-hander allowed eight hits and six earned runs, with the Phillies currently carrying an eight-game losing streak in his last eight starts. In 13 starts overall, Walker is 3-5 with a 6.26 ERA in 64 2/3 innings, in addition to allowing 74 hits and 45 earned runs.

Very little suggests that Walker is on the verge of a late-season breakthrough. That's what makes the decision to give Walker the ball again on Wednesday all the more frustrating.

Prior to being activated from his third IL stint of the season, there was hope that if Walker could give the Phillies a handful of five- or six-inning starts down the stretch and keep the team close in ball games, he could find a role as a back of the rotation innings eater. After giving up 12 earned runs in his last 11 2/3 innings, it turns out baseball writers don't always get it right, either.

Rob Thomson tries to explain why Taijuan Walker is getting another chance

Speaking to a small media contingent before Monday night's game, Thomson doubled down on his reasons for not removing Walker from the rotation going forward.

"I was encouraged by his velocity, I know he threw some pitches down the middle, but he got behind as well," Thomson said. "I think he deserves, because of who he is [and] his experience, he deserves another shot."

Asked if the organization is limited in what kind of approach they can take with Walker based on his contract, Thomson admitted that making a change in the rotation comes down to making the decision, but the third-year skipper doesn't feel that's a necessary consideration at this time.

"We can always make a change," added Thomson. "But I'm confident he's going to bounce back at this point. Maybe not everyone is, but I am, but that's who I am."

It's not exactly news to anyone who follows the Phillies closely that Thomson is a player's manager. The style works well for him in his clubhouse and is a big reason why the veterans on this team respond well to his management style. While an argument can be made that some of Topper's moves border on stubbornness at times, overall his approach has been successful in creating a winning culture in the Phillies locker room.

Who's calling the shots with Taijuan Walker?

This is a decision that seems to prioritize one player's contractual obligations and feelings over the long-term success of the other 25 players wearing a Phillies uniform right now.

Remember when Thomson lost trust in Walker last October during the playoffs? It got so bad that Walker infamously never made a single appearance all postseason, and that was with an overworked bullpen on the verge of collapse in a winnable NLCS. The better question is: who's actually behind this decision? Thomson or Dave Dombrowski?

Ten months removed from sitting Walker for the entire playoffs, Thomson has seemingly swung in the opposite direction by showing a willing reluctance to remove him from the rotation. While fans are concerned about the Phillies winning a World Series this year, the front office seems more concerned with trying to validate Walker's $72 million four-year deal until the wheels fall off.

At this point in the season, it makes zero sense to keep trying to fix a litany of mechanical and confidence issues that continue to hinder Walker's performance on the mound. If the Phillies really want to fix Walker, it's going to come in the offseason with a revised throwing program and an emphasis on making the transition from being a thrower to becoming a pitcher.

Until then, other pitchers like Kolby Allard and Tyler Phillips have shown that they are more than capable of pitching every fifth day and giving the Phillies a chance to win. A change is long overdue.