After activating southpaw Ranger Suarez from the 15-day injured list earlier today, the Phillies are making a change to their rotation mix to get back down to five starters. As manager Rob Thomson told reporters, including Lochlan March of the Philly Inquirer, that means a move to the bullpen for right-hander Taijuan Walker. Thomson did not rule out the possibility of a six-man rotation in the future, but with an day off on Monday the Phillies are planning to use five starters for at least the next couple of weeks.
Walker’s been in the rotation since Opening Day and has pitched quite well in his six starts this year. The 32-year-old has an impressive 2.54 ERA (125 ERA+) in 28 1/3 innings of work, although his peripherals are not quite as impressive. A 17.6% strikeout rate is well below par, and Walker’s 10.4% walk rate is much too high for a pitcher who’s missing bats at a below-average clip. He’s done well to mostly keep the barrel of the ball and induce soft contact so far, but peripherals like his 4.01 FIP and 4.71 SIERA suggest that he’s more of a number five type starter than the mid-rotation results he’s posting so far.
Of course, even being a serviceable back-of-the-rotation piece is a massive improvement over Walker’s performance last year. 2024 was the right-hander’s second season in Philadelphia, and it could have hardly gone worse as he pitched to a brutal 7.10 ERA with a 6.94 FIP in 83 2/3 innings of work spread between 15 starts and four relief outings. Following a season where Walker had more appearances where he allowed at least four runs (seven) than where he allowed two runs or less (six), the right-hander’s position within the Phillies organization was unstable enough that the club opted to trade for Jesus Luzardo and sign Joe Ross in a bid to make Walker less necessary. That left some to suggest he was in danger of being cut ahead of Opening Day entering camp, but the injury to Suarez paved the way for Walker to not only remain on the roster but in the club’s rotation.
Though he’s headed back to the bullpen at this point, Walker’s solid work over the season’s first month was more than enough to solidify his roster spot, and at this point the question regarding Walker is no longer whether he can avoid a disastrous repeat of 2024, but rather if he can continue pitching well enough to force Philadelphia brass into considering a six-man staff at some point this year. Of course, the Phillies wouldn’t necessarily need to consider a six-man rotation in order for Walker to make his way back into the mix, as he’s presumably the next man up to make starts until the Phillies decide to promote Andrew Painter.
The Phillies have generally enjoyed good health in their rotation mix in recent years, but injuries are always a risk when it comes to starting pitchers. There’s no better proof of this concept than veteran right-hander Aaron Nola, who has been one of the most durable and reliable innings-eating arms in the sport for nearly a decade at this point. As noted by Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, however, Nola was experiencing a neck issue prior to today’s game. That led the Phillies to activate Suarez from the injured list today rather than the day of his planned start tomorrow in case they needed a starter to help cover for Nola. Fortunately, Nola wasn’t stopped from pitching by the neck problem and went on to pitch six shutout innings while striking out eight in the club’s 7-2 win over the Diamondbacks this evening. Even so, the last-minute injury scare serves as a reminder that an opening could open in the Philadelphia rotation at any given moment, and it would be a surprise to see Walker passed over for any spot start opportunities as long as he remains effective in his move back to the bullpen.
Why is Andrew Painter only in low A ball this year? Last season, he made it to AA and pitched quite well there. He also pitched well in the Arizona Fall League Did he have an injury where he is starting out in A ball just to get his game back on track? Inquiring minds want to know. He should be in AA if not AAA by now since he is their #1 pitching prospect.
I meant to say that he made it to AA in 2022, and then pitched well in the AFL last year (2024) after his TJS. Did he get injured again? I would think he’d start in AA so long as he is healthy now.
Get it together Dorothy!
The Phillies are bringing their top prospect up to triple-A Lehigh Valley for his next start on Thursday, manager Rob Thomson announced on Friday. He is one step away from the majors.
inquirer.com/phillies/phillies-andrew-painter-next…
Thanks, Bart. That makes much more sense!
Eyes don’t deceive in baseball, and Walker remains eminently hittable. I like him, seems like a good teammate, but my hope is eating $10 million of his contract means he plays elsewhere next year. We can upgrade that roster spot. Need to, frankly.
Lets not let actual results influence ones opinion. Much better to have someone with a 5.00 ERA and 98 mph gas, than someone who can pitch. FIP, pffft!
Just for the warmer weather
Walker may have pitched just well enough to establish a little bit of trade value for a team like the Orioles, Angels, Dodgers or other team that’s getting desperate for starting pitching. Maybe the O’s pull the plug on Tyler O’Niell, who makes similar salary, as does Kenley Jansen & Chris Thompson. Any RH bat or RH RP that could potentially help this team in a part time role would be worth it for the Phillies. In the case of Jansen & Thompson, they’d also free up 18mil for 2026. Got to be a match out there. Or attach a couple young players/prospects to Walker like Johan Rojas, Mick Abel and/or an overachieving Otto Kemp for a Byron Buxton or Luis Robert.
Walker makes way too much money to be traded straight up. The Phillies would need to eat at least 50% of his remaining contract to generate any interest in him. The Orioles are certainly not trading Tyler O’Neill for Walker not are Twins trading Buxton or the CWS trading Luis Robert for him & marginal prospects. You might be able to get the Yankees to trade DJL for him, but even then the Yankees would want some salary relief.
DJL is a lot worse than walker right now so probably other way around
Walker and 3 top 15 prospects should get a conversation going at least. Could see the Phillies potentially eating $8 of 18mil for ‘26. 5th starter going rate is $10-12, and if Walker pitches to 4.00 ERA the rest of the year, that $10mil for one year could become an asset. Plus I mentioned the Phillies potentially taking back a bad contract in return to offset salary. I don’t think anyone is giving the White Sox anything better than Rojas, Abel, Rincones & Kemp for Luis Robert – even if he got semi-hot.
@AC I guess you didn’t see Jansen’s blown save from Friday night. He got pummeled and man-handled and that’s being nice about it. The Phillies can do much better than Kenley Jansen,believe me.
i guess you didnt see Spencer Schwellenbach last outing. He got pummeled and man-handled and that’s being nice about it. The Braves can do much better than Spencer Schwellenbach believe me.
Sounds kinda silly because one bad outing makes their whole season. Just ignore that Jansen didnt give up a run for the whole prior month and had a bad outting after not pitching for over a week.
AC, Rojas is playing great ball right now. If Marsh gets back on track or the Phils bring up Crawford, they’ll have a solid centerfield platoon. Robert has done nothing so far this season to make him a better current option than Rojas and a left-handed hitting platoon partner. Kemp is another player having a great season. He’s a guy the Phils will want to hold on to because of his bat and defensive versatility. Things are likely to get shuffled around in Philly before the start of next season, and a youth movement with guys like Crawford and Kemp may the direction the Phils will be heading to.
Agree Kemp has value but we have Sosa, with Miller on the way. Kemp could be a really appealing trade chip for the reasons you mentioned. He’s 24 years old, and he’s not cracking the 26 man for more than a cup of coffee. Trade a few of these prospects I mentioned, they’re all 23-24 years old with no current path to the big league club. Cash them in for a legitimate CF’er – Robert, Buxton, Daulton Varsho, Jake McCarthy. A 4 for 2 type deal, OF’er & RHRP. September 1st they call up Crawford & Stubby and whatever OF’er they acquire, moves to LF. Marsh, Kepler, Sosa, Weston Wilson – is a solid bench for the post season.
AC, I totally agree the Phils should try to acquire centerfielder Jake McCarthy, especially since his stock is down at the moment. Kemp could be traded, but he may turn out to be more than the Phils anticipated and more valuable to keep. Robert, Buxton and Varsho under ideal circumstances may have been considerations for the Phils at one time but no longer. The Phils won’t trade Rojas because he is their most improved player, and still a long way from being fully developed. He’ll be an all star someday. Miller may need more time developing in the minors than many realize, and Crawford won’t be brought up until he’s absolutely ready or the Phils run into injury problems. The Phils will give Marsh more of a chance to get back on track before they replace him. He gives the Phils the occasional burst of energy they need to rally.
If they acquired say, Buxton & Jax from the Twins – Marsh would become the 4th OF’er, starting day games after night games vs. RHP to keep Buxton healthy. Next year he moves to LF when Crawford arrives. Imagine that OF defense. McCarthy is a PA guy, grew up a Phils fan. They have enough outfield depth to trade him, but do they want to help the Phillies? Probably not. So I’m looking at AL teams mostly, that would potentially accept a quartet of young talent, for two established players. I’m not one for breaking up the current group, it can mess with the psyche of the clubhouse. Adding two solid big leaguers on reasonable salaries at those two spots (CF,RP), is necessary for a deep run.
AC, Get real.
You wrote, “If they acquired say, Buxton and Jax from the Twins – Marsh would become the 4th OFer.” What are the Phils supposed to do with Kepler, Rojas and Castellanos? These guys are all running circles around the Twins outfielders this season.
You wrote, “McCarthy is a PA guy, grew up a Phils fan. They (Diamondbacks?) have enough outfield depth to trade him, but do they want to help the Phillies? Probably not.” What does McCarthy being a Phils’ fan from Scranton have to do with the Diamondbacks not wanting to trade him? Did you watch the Diamondbacks and Phils this weekend. If you did, you should realize that the Diamondbacks have multiple deficiencies as a team, but the outfield is clearly not one of them. McCarthy was sent to the minors because he was struggling. In light of the success of their current outfielders, McCarthy will have a tough time cracking the starting lineup again, which is the main reason the Diamondbacks will be willing to trade him – regardless of where he grew up.
You wrote, “I’m not one for breaking up the current group, it can mess with the psyche of the clubhouse.” Oh, wouldn’t that be a pity – messing with the psyche of the clubhouse. Did you ever wonder if the psyche of the clubhouse might be one of the reasons the Phils can’t win a championship? And what do you think will happen is the Phils don’t win the world series this season? Don’t you think the current group will be broken up?
And finally, you wrote, “Adding two solid big leaguers on reasonable salaries at those two spots (CF,RP), is necessary for a deep run.” Don’t you realize that Rojas is rapidly becoming one of the top centerfielders in all of baseball this season? And don’t you realize the kind of relief pitcher the Phils need don’t come with reasonable salaries?
AC, All I can say is Surf’s Up, Dude.
Mentioned McCarthy because the D’Backs are deep in their OF depth, him being from PA was just a side note. Don’t see those two teams lining up on an in season trade with each other, so you actually agree with me. Cool. If this season turns out to be a failure, then absolutely they will shake things up in the offseason – just don’t see them moving anybody other than maybe Rojas, from the current core. Respectfully, I disagree with your assessment that Rojas is becoming one of the best CF in MLB. He doesn’t have a high baseball IQ, thats evident. And he’s grossly overrated as a defender because of his speed. That’s wonderful that he’s off to a good start, which is why I suggested selling high on him and the 3 prospects I mentioned (Abel, Kemp, Rincones). It’s very obvious the Phillies are short an arm in the pen, and we’ve seen enough of Rojas to know there’s room to upgrade. Griffin Jax makes $2.4 mil this season, and will earn less than $5mil via arbitration for 2026. Andres Munoz, Reid Detmers, Cade Smith, Jordan Leasure and other potential names I’ve mentioned on this site – all make under $3mil. A Relief pitcher is not going to break the bank, nor would it cost the Phillies a top 5 prospect.
The Dodgers already have 20 starting pitchers lol.
i still miss the Atlantic City Surf. i had the privelege attending a doubleheader vs the Newark Bears while Rickey Henderson was on the team. so many great memories going to Surf games
Damn shame how they let that stadium rot away and the homeless living in it.
Worked in FO, was game day music/sound guy and back up Public Address announcer. Had the privilege of announcing Rickey, Jose Canseco, Ruben Sierra – and blasting “Wild Thing” to a packed house and press box when Mitch activated himself, and started on July 4th, 1999. Good times.
i appreciate the work you all did. it was really fun meeting the players and getting their autographs, knowing some had major league service time. ozzie timmons was very generous with his time and i still have the cards he signed for me, as well as jeff ware, tom goodwin, and demetrius heath.
Charge! And let’s go surf, one swing of the bat… put the home team up by 1!
I’m surprised when you have 6 good starters you should let them be a 6 man rotation because almost all the time when a starter moves to the bullpen he does a lot worse
The only exception I can think of is John smoltz but that’s an outlier
i know your probably trolling but to name a few Dennis Eckersly. Jason isringhauser, Oliver Perez, and some guy that pitched from the yankees his nickname was bed man or sleep man or something like that i heard he got some kind of award after he retired.
Oliver Perez wasn’t that good.
“almost all the time when a starter moves to the bullpen he does a lot worse.”
was he a better reliever than he was a starter? When the mets tried converting him the last couple years as a starter he was almost 7 era and regularly got blown up then he became a loogy and did much better and lasted another what 10 years as a loogy and did well in that role.
Metallica!
Eck counts but come on there’s a difference between being a starter in your early 20s compared to being a guy like taijuan who’s always been a starter until now
“almost all the time when a starter moves to the bullpen he does a lot worse”
hmm i dont see age or service time or anything like that in any statement. Its like me saying hey starting pitchers are amazing HR hitters but leave out only if they are less than a month away from the 43rd bday. But if you need another how about matt moore? when he converted over he was a good reliever for a couple years. Ian Kennedy the same, Jeff Hoffman Jose Mesa. etc etc
#1 – 6 Starters mean you have one less relief pitcher. This reduces in game options significantly.
#2 – Your Best Starters Pitch less. This could mean 15%+ Fewew Starts for Wheeler and their other top pitchers.
#3 – Many Starting Pitchers do worse with extended rest. Many just don’t like the extra rest.
An occasional 6th Starter when you have a Doulbe Header and/or weeks with Zero Days off could work…In such case they would likely use their Long-Man as a starter..
And no…as a general rule moving pitchers to the pen does not make them worse but the opposite. They can go all out for an inning versus pace themselves for a game. Also they can use a more limited set of pitches, since they don;t have to go through the batting order multiple times. In general teams start pitchers as starters if they can because they are more valuable. So relievers are either failed starters or those who never developed a sufficient array of pitches where starting made sense.
Dude figured some things out and you reward him with the bully?
You don’t know that he figured anything out. His last four starts feature a 13/9 K/W in 17.2 IPs.
The Phils are moving Walker to the bullpen because Suarez is a free agent at the end of the season, and the Phils want to showcase him as a starter in the event they decide to trade him before the trade deadline. The fact that Walker is having a decent year as a starter and Suarez has already been a successful reliever clearly demonstrates how financial considerations frequently trump player management in professional sports.
It might have more to do with the fact that, while they have been quite pleasantly surprised at the results for Taj, he is hardly a better option in the rotation than Ranger or anyone else.
The peripherals have been mediocre, and it is hard to feel as if he is anything more than a 5th / 6th starter. He goes back to being the longman, while Ross becomes more of a regular middle relief option in the interim. It helps the pen just fine – especially if Romano and Ross keep on pitching as well as they have in most recent outings.
In essence, there is a real logic to it all on its own, not withstanding $$ and potential trade value.
Really? Ignoring the results because his K/W ratio wasn’t impressive? Kinda like saying you don’t like a Lamborghini because off the sub par cup holders. Since when have results not mattered?
You are trying to predict future results.
1-The Lambo cup holders will not change.
2-Walker’s ERA will likely get worse. It’s like pulling to an inside straight because you hit an inside straight last time.
@stymie:
* At his best, Taj was never a Lamborghini. Today, he is more akin to a recently repaired Corolla that seems to be running okay again.
* Your top five starters, as of this moment, do not include Taj. And I respect Taj. But he is currently their 6th.
* When Painter is ready, then he is 7th.
* With Taj as the longman / swingman / spot starter the Phils are a better pitching staff.
Reality – baseball usually takes care of these things. Having the pitching depth is a really great problem to have.
carver, If you believe the past is prologue, Walker will probably struggle in the bullpen. He’s probably still not over being snubbed in the 2023 playoffs, and probably views a move to the bullpen, despite his improved play this season, as a clear demotion. It’s these kind of positive, then negative, moves by a manager that make players neurotic and cause them to start doubting themselves. If the Phils rely on Ross or Romano to help them in the bullpen long-term this season, they’re about to sail into some rough waters. Ross and Romano may have had a few bright moments recently but, more often than not, they’ve looked like batting practice pitchers rather than bullpen aces. What’s more, the rest of the bullpen, including Alverado, is also iffy. So, the Phils should be trading for all the bullpen help they can get sooner than later.
@OTB – I would rather have the Phils front office making these evaluations than you – based upon past is prologue. No offense intended.
Bullpens are a work in progress for each and every team, and almost every reliever in the game outside of perhaps the top 20 arms are going to be rather inconsistent over the course of a season. If one wants to “predict” failure, at some point most of these guys will experience it for stretches of time.
The Phils won’t be trading for multiples of back of the pen arms – the cost to risk ratio is stupid. Relax and let’s see how it plays out until we are closer to the deadline.
Taj will be a swingman / longman / spot starter for now. Next week – who knows? Maybe Nola’s neck is an issue; maybe Ranger has a cranky back again…whatever. I like the depth.
carver, The Phils’ front office has been making its own decisions for a long time. The Phils have also failed to win a world series for a long time. Do you see any connection?
Maybe they should consider more of the suggestions that are posted in this chat room. Guys like you filled the pages with pseudo-intellectual reasons why my suggestions to get Schwarber out of the leadoff spot and replace him with Stott would never work. Someone was listening, even if guys like you weren’t.
On the topic of bullpens, you should realize that bullpens are a work in progress for weak teams, but not for championship teams who sort out any problems early in each season, then make the right alterations to create solid bullpens that become a strength to their team, rather than a weakness. Their bullpen is one of the Phils’ chief weaknesses.
I never called for the Phils to acquire multiple back-end relievers. I simply wrote that acquiring Helsley as a closer would dramatically help the Phils if they really wanted to get to the playoffs. I also posted that, in my not-so-humble opinion, Ross and Romano wouldn’t help the Phils much in late innings and Alverado was no closer.
So, thanks for your wise counseling and advice to relax and see how things play out. For your information, I’ve been doing exactly that with the Phils since the days of Connie Mack Stadium. That’s why I can continue to watch them and, win or lose in the 10th inning, not experience any rise in blood pressure, heart rate or, most of all, expectations.
I was a Phillies fam back in the days when they fought every season with the Cubs to see who would get out of the cellar. So, I can certainly handle watching this latest edition of a Phillies all-star team that has everything they need to decisively beat weak teams, but not what they need to win a championship.
Like I said, the past is prologue, and the failures of certain players individually and the Phillies collectively can be predicted.
Live and learn, young carver. No offense intended.
@OTB – I don’t spend much time on here, and don’t add too much to the commenting mix. The site itself is very good, but comments sections everywhere are simply littered with nonsense, trolls and professional time-wasters, interspersed with a minority of sound, normal folks that are fun and add a touch of humor and wisdom here and there…and they are never the keyboard warriors that attempt to overwhelm with volume, shouting and breast-beating.
I too went to Connie Mack back in the day. One thing that I see, time and again, are fans that simply KNOW that they are smarter than the manager, have better instincts than every front office and have all of the answers. And they expend a ton of effort every day “proving” their mettle and burnishing their bonafides.
Call me crazy but I am far more comfortable knowing that a HoF track GM / POBO is running the Phils, rather than our brave group of comments section heroes. They are not always right – it is silly to expect that – but I have yet to read anything from the fanboy peanut gallery that leads me to believe that anyone should be hired as an intern in the baseball operations department.
This! If, and still a big IF, Painter comes up before the deadline and semi impressive, I could absolutely see Ranger traded at the deadline. Long shot they are resigning him and could get a prospect or bench piece for him. Will need the money for Schwarbs
@Boz – I have been to a lot of minor league games over the years, and seeing Painter up close and personal at the age of 19 (towards the end of his season before he was in ST the following year where he ended up needing TJS) was as eye-opening a moment as I have had watching young prospects over too many decades. The frame; the repeat mechanics; the incredibly easy velo; the nasty stuff; the balance; and the command on top of his elsewhere noted maturity and work ethic…I was awed. The kid was only 19 plus a few months (with visible zits – looked like he was just out of HS as well other than his size), and he looked as close to major league ready as we see for the most part.
I have seen plenty of AAA, highly-rated pitching prospects 4 and 5 years older that had major league success and were not a patch on what I saw from Painter. So – I am really hopeful and excited to watch this kid pitch…without trying to put the pressure on him to be an immediate star.
Of course there are no guarantees at all, but I am so looking forward to seeing him.
Aren’t his mechanics what led to the TJ surgury? Something led to it.
The Phils are moving Walker to the bullpen because Suarez…Phils want to showcase him as a starter in the event they decide to trade him before the trade deadline.
============================
1-If Suarez is pitching well, they won’t trade him.
2-The Phillies, and DD in particular, don’t trade players because they impending FAs. They’re looking to win a WS, not build for the future.
The reason Suarez is starting over Walker is because he is a much better pitcher.
joe, The fact of the matter is Suarez is a free agent at the end of this season, and his belief that he is worth more to another team than the Phils will be willing to pay him in the future is strongly supported by the fact that he is a more valuable pitcher than Walker and possibly a few other Phils starters. Suarez understands his ability, worth, and value and, in the final analysis, what the Phils care or would like to do is totally irrelevant to him. So, if Suarez is pitching well or not, his leaving Philly during or after this season is a fait accompli. The Phils don’t always trade pending free agents, but there are instances when they should. As hard as this may be to fully comprehend, Philly is not for every player. That’s why so many of them do so much better when they leave Philly and join another team.
That has nothing to do with what I said.
The Phillies won’t trade Suarez if he is pitching well, and Suarez is starting because he is a better pitcher than Walker.
Suarez has far more upside than Walker…Until his back issues came up…He was in the running for the CY Young award mid-season. We will need to see how he does as he ramps up. But yes….He is a trade candidate since Andrew Painter will be pushing for a rotation spot.
If Suarez returns to Form….He could be a big ticket item to fill other roster issues.
But honestly….If you were just talking Finacials, it may make sense to Keep Walker in the Rotation….Since if he keeps up his work there, he would be more tradeable. Yes…The Phillies will need to eat some salary, but prior to the start of the year it was assumed walker would be cut and the Phils would need to eat all $34 million. Other than 2024, his numbers have been at least a solid #4…..and many teams don’t even have 4 legit MLB starters….so he would have value….just not $17m per year value. So moving him back to the pen in many ways makes less sense $$$ wise.
When Painter arrives as the 5th starter…Walker AND Suarez will be in the bull pen.
Suárez will be gone as a free agent when Painter gets in the starting five. Phillies fans are expecting way to much from a pitcher who is in the minors and has missed two seasons.
Painter is pretty special. You can tell by watching him, but I don’t think his impact will be felt until next season or later. He’ll be called up this year, but it’s just part of his development. He’s going to be a future top of the rotation guy, but expecting that this year is just silly.
Injuries. Double headers. Long stretches without offdays. I’m sure Walker will be getting more opportunities to start, and he’s earned it this season. After stinking it up last year, he’s been solid..
Yes…The Phillies WAY overpaid at $17m per year for Walker…but many fans are also letting his contract distort his pitching history. Yes…He was one of the worst pitchers in baseball last year…for whatever reason. But his velocity is back up this year and his numbers this year and every year other than last year show someone who is at least a solid #4 . He would probably improve 20-25+ rotations in baseball. If he continued to show what he showed, the Phillies could move him….so long as they ate some of his contract. He’s not a $17m/yr pitcher, but he IS better than what most teams have at the end of their rotation.
18 million depth.
Need pen help
Walker won’t help the pen….he’s not built for it emotionally….his up and down characteristics are a symptom of this…like Seranthony Dominguez…he can give you the slop innings I guess.
7 strike outs and 3 shutout innings in his first bullpen appearance. He also got his first career saves,