Taijuan Walker’s underwhelming 2024 MLB season for the Philadelphia Phillies looks like it may be well behind him.
Phillies: Taijuan Walker impressing in Spring Training
Per NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Corey Seidman, Phillies manager Rob Thomson said this about Walker’s improvements in Spring Training this year:
“I’m so proud of him, the work that he’s put in,” Thomson said last week. “I mean, he looks better than he did the year he won 15 games (2023) at this point in time. Just physically, his movements, athleticism. The ball’s coming out hot and the splitter’s fantastic. He’s landing his breaking ball. He was good that year in spring training but I think he’s better this year.”
Phillies’ Walker could regain form at end of rotation
Much talk was made about the Phillies potentially moving off of the 32-year-old in the offseason after he regressed mightily in 2024. Walker fell from 15-6 in 2023 to 3-7 last season while boasting an inflated 7.10 ERA and 1.721 WHIP.
While Walker has been a respectable pitcher throughout his career, having only seen his ERA climb north of 4.50 one other time in 12 years, his 2024 was forgettable. Nevertheless, his velocity this spring has Thomson feeling good about his stuff.
There’s no telling if the Louisiana native will be able to sustain a velocity like his 94.2 mph fastball from 2021. That being said, seeing that his four-seamer topped out at 93.9 mph and his sinker at 93.5 mph, up over four mph from last spring, against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday, Walker’s stuff could catapult him back into his regular form. That would give him a great chance to be a No. 6 option in the Phillies’ rotation next time out.
