The Philadelphia Phillies starting rotation got a major contributor back on Wednesday when left-handed starting pitcher Cristopher Sánchez returned to the mound after experiencing left forearm tightness and being pulled early during his previous start on April 22. Any lingering concerns about Sánchez's health were quickly put to rest after the southpaw looked solid in five innings of work and earned his third win of the season in the Phillies' 7-2 victory over the Washington Nationals.
And with fellow left-hander Ranger Suárez making his first start of the season on Sunday, all of a sudden, the Phillies have six starting pitchers and five rotation spots. That being said, there's plenty of speculation surrounding what the Phillies plan to do with its surplus of pitching. While it once seemed like a no-brainer for the team to release Taijuan Walker at the end of spring training, his relative success in six starts this season has seemingly pumped the brakes on that conversation.
Taijuan Walker's success is forcing Phillies into surprisingly tough rotation and bullpen decisions
The recent returns of both Suárez and Sánchez to the starting rotation has created an interesting situation for manager Rob Thomson. Much like last season when Walker's return from the IL opened up talk of the team employing a six-man rotation, this time its Walker who could find himself the odd man out if the team chooses to go the more conventional route this time around.
Depending on who's doing the reporting, various reports have hinted at the team using a six-man rotation going forward, while others, like The Athletic's Matt Gelb, see Walker heading to the Phillies bullpen (subscription required).
Perhaps the truth is somewhere in the middle, but it's still somewhat shocking that Walker's spot on the 26-man roster is no longer up for debate. While his ultimate fate is still left to be determined, he deserves a lot of credit for putting in the work this offseason and showing that he has figured out how to pitch effectively again, despite a once concerning dip in velocity.
Walker's relative success is certainly a shocking development however you choose to look at it. And while many Phillies fans have approached each of Walker's starts with a healthy dose of skepticism and on-brand fatalism, to Walker's credit, he's impressively tuned out all the noise and has managed to give the Phillies mostly quality innings so far this season.
Without running the risk of hyperbole, the Walker comeback narrative arc is supported by his overall numbers through six starts. We all know by now that Walker's never going to be the type of pitcher the Phillies thought they were getting when they signed him to a four-year, $72 million deal before the 2023 season, but with a 2.54 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP in 28 1/3 innings this year, the thought of the Phillies sending him out for five innings is no longer the scary proposition it once was.
But how the Phillies and manager Rob Thomson choose to proceed after Suárez's start on Sunday remains a puzzle that will soon have to be figured out. While a six-man rotation including Walker could help preserve the wear and tear on the team's most talented arms, some members of the rotation, like staff ace Zack Wheeler are notorious creatures of habit who like to start every fifth day.
If you add Walker to an already crowded Phillies' bullpen, that decision could come at the expense of optioning established arms such as situational left-hander Tanner Banks or recently scuffling Orion Kerkering to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, or cutting bait altogether with late spring training waiver claim acquisition Carlos Hernández.
And whatever the Phillies ultimately plan to do with Walker and his role going forward will certainly be interesting to watch unfold. Perhaps the team will try to package Walker's recent success into a minor trade with a pitching starved rival, with designs on meeting in the middle and splitting the cost of his remaining contract to afford the team some salary relief.
But maybe there is a scenario where Walker remains in the rotation on a temporary basis while the team closely monitors the health of Suárez and top pitching prospect Andrew Painter. Either way, there could finally be a resolution regarding Walker's future with the Phillies arriving as soon as this weekend.