Walker aiming to show Phillies he can serve a purpose in bullpen originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Taijuan Walker didn’t sulk when he heard the news Thursday afternoon that he was being removed from the Phillies‘ rotation and sent to the bullpen.
He understood. He made 14 mostly poor starts this season. He spent seven weeks on the injured list with a blister and was even worse when he returned, his opponents hitting .377 with a 1.124 OPS.
“We’re getting to the last month of the season, these games count, these games matter. Not surprised at all, I’ve just got to do a better job,” Walker said before the Phillies played the Braves Friday.
It’s been an all-around difficult year for Walker. He did not pitch in the postseason last October and it caused a temporary crack in the relationship. He showed up to spring training 2024 but missed time early in camp for personal reasons, then dealt with knee soreness and eventually a right shoulder impingement that delayed his season debut until April 28 in San Diego.
All the while, Walker pitched with diminished velocity. His fastball in spring training was 88-89 mph compared to 93-94 last spring and summer.
Walker tried various methods to build velocity but none of them worked, at least not fully. A weighted-ball throwing program during his time on the IL in June and July helped him build back to the 91 mph range, but 91 is still a far ways off from 93-94, especially because it results in a smaller, less effective difference between his fastball and upper-80s splitter.
“The fact that my splitter is still 88 and my fastball is only 91-92, that’s kind of confusing for me,” Walker said. “There needs to be a bigger separation. For my splitter to be 88, usually my fastball should be 93-94.
“It’s kind of my first year that I’ve been bad all year. I’ve had moments where it’s been bad but also moments where it’s really good and that just hasn’t happened this year.
“It hasn’t been easy. But just keep going and try to stay confident in myself knowing that I’ve done it for so long, I’ve been good.”
Walker will transition to the bullpen beginning Tuesday night in Toronto, the first of two road games the Phillies have with the Blue Jays before four in Miami. He will likely be the mop-up man, appearing a handful of times in September. The team will break him in with a low-leverage, one-inning appearance next week.
On the surface, there doesn’t seem to be a bullpen role in the playoffs for Walker, who last relieved in 2014. He’s hoping to earn a spot.
“I guess it’s up to me. I have to show them that I can come out of the bullpen and be effective,” he said. “I’m gonna work really hard to do that. I want to be a part of it. It sucks not being a part of it and not helping out the team.
“I’m getting another chance. Obviously, me being in the rotation didn’t work out this year. I’m not saying that it still won’t but right now I need to focus on the bullpen and try to be as effective as possible and help out.”
Walker is owed $36 million after this season — $18M in 2024 and $18M in 2025. The Phillies could cut ties with him this winter but it wouldn’t gain them anything. They’re just as likely, if not likelier, to take Walker to spring training and see if his stuff has improved and he can win a No. 5 starter’s battle. If he can’t, they could make a decision then.
Walker will go through his weighted-ball routine all offseason. He and the Phillies hope that a more complete program will bring his velocity back and increase the bite on a splitter that went from his out-pitch to one of baseball’s worst.
“I think so, it should. We did it so quickly, we did it for a month,” Walker said. “I thought it helped my splitter tick up a little bit so that was a plus, but I think having a full offseason of doing it should help.
“Obviously, we’re still trying to focus on this year but the plan for the offseason is to do the weighted ball program and come in ready for camp.”
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