The area of the 2024 Philadelphia Phillies team that has plagued them the most and caused the most controversy this season has been the No. 5 starter. Rob Thomson announced that he’s going back to a familiar face in that role on Thursday in New York against the Mets.
Taijuan Walker news highlights Phillies’ disturbing lack of quality starting pitching depth
Taijuan Walker will re-enter the starting rotation and start for the first time since Aug. 28 against the Houston Astros. The right-hander pitched six innings allowing 13 hits and six earned runs while failing to record a single strikeout in that outing. He was taken out of the rotation and moved to the bullpen in a move that Phillies fans were calling for all year.
Thomson said that he liked the way Walker pitched in relief against the Mets on Saturday which led to his decision to start him on Thursday, per MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki. Walker tossed three scoreless innings of three-hit baseball after taking over in relief for Kolby Allard in the fourth inning. The Phillies were down 4-0 at the time, and he was able to shut down the Mets’ offense in a game that the Phillies ended up winning 6-4.
Walker made two other appearances out of the bullpen before Saturday’s performance. He pitched a combined five innings while allowing seven hits and four earned runs. The 32-year-old’s season ERA dropped from 6.50 as a starter to 6.29 after three appearances out of the bullpen.
The No. 5 starter carousel is coming to an end
The Phillies have experimented with their fair share of starting pitching options in the No. 5 spot throughout the season. Allard, Spencer Turnbull, Tyler Phillips, Michael Mercado, Seth Johnson and Orion Kerkering have all started at least one game for the Phillies this year. A few of those players had some success, but that success didn’t last long.
The lack of quality starting pitching depth is disturbing, but luckily help may be on the way. Top pitching prospect Andrew Painter is progressing well in his recovery from Tommy John surgery and could join the starting rotation to start the 2025 season. The organization’s other top pitching prospect, Mick Abel, is also starting to figure things out in Triple-A in his recent starts after struggling for most of the season.
Walker has been a disappointment for the Phillies after signing a four-year, $72 million contract. He still has two years remaining on that contract. It remains to be seen what his future will look like in Philadelphia, but at the very least he’ll get one more opportunity to show any glimmer of hope in his next start against the Mets.