Taijuan Walker’s performance this season has given the Philadelphia Phillies new options as they approach the final stretch of the regular season. Last year, Walker struggled, with the team losing nine consecutive games he started and his ERA reaching 7.36 during that period. He eventually lost his spot in the rotation by late August.
This year, Walker has delivered solid results in his three separate stints as a starter. On Monday night, he pitched six innings and allowed only one run in a 4-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. This outing lowered his ERA to 3.31 over 14 starts.
“I busted my butt in the offseason,” Walker said. “I wanted to come back this year and just show that I worked hard and I was ready to get back in the rotation.”
The Phillies have won eight of Walker’s 14 starts this season. His steady pitching helped set up key moments for Philadelphia’s offense on Monday, including Weston Wilson’s game-tying double, Trea Turner’s go-ahead single, and Kyle Schwarber’s home run in the eighth inning.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for the way he is as a teammate, the way he is as a competitor,” Schwarber said. “And what he’s doing for us right now, it’s just been so huge.”
With Aaron Nola expected to return soon, manager Rob Thomson noted that having Walker performing well gives flexibility to possibly use a six-man rotation—especially important with Zack Wheeler managing shoulder soreness recently.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson provided an update on Wheeler: “felt good” after his most recent start following some right shoulder soreness and diminished velocity last week. An MRI showed no structural damage, and Wheeler reported no additional soreness afterward.
“I think so,” Thomson said when asked if Wheeler could benefit from extra rest via a six-man rotation. “I think it could benefit everybody, to tell you the truth. We’ve been riding these guys pretty hard all year.”
Philadelphia starting pitchers have thrown more innings than any other team this season—676 total—which puts them on pace for their highest total since 2014. The main workload has fallen on Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez (both at 144 2/3 innings), and Ranger Suárez (107 innings since May 4). The Phillies are currently unique among MLB teams for having two pitchers ranked in the top ten for innings pitched.
Jesús Luzardo has also played a significant role after being acquired from Miami; his current total of 133 innings already doubles what he managed last year due to injury issues.
The Phillies are navigating a demanding schedule: they began a stretch of playing 13 games in as many days last Friday and will play nearly every day until mid-September—a run totaling 39 games in 41 days leading up to September 17.
Their recent four-game winning streak has increased their lead atop the National League East division to six games over the New York Mets (69-49 vs. 63-55), making it more feasible for them to rest starting pitchers down the stretch before potential postseason play.
Thomson emphasized Walker’s importance: “Really valuable,” Thomson said. “You know one thing, he’s going to compete — and he’s not afraid of anything. He’s a really valuable person to have on this club.”
