Taijuan Walker appeared to deliver another strong outing for the Phillies on Thursday night against the Nationals, tossing 5.2 innings while surrendering just four hits, three walks, and a single earned run.
Walker’s 2025 season has been surprisingly effective. Coming into the game with a 2.78 ERA and 1.37 WHIP over five starts, he’s still prone to walks and the occasional jam, but he’s shown far more composure and consistency compared to last year. He’s giving the Phillies a solid chance to win each time out.
Still, we know Walker’s tendencies. Last year might’ve been derailed by injury, and perhaps his steady — if unspectacular — 2023 season with Philadelphia (31 starts, 138 strikeouts in 172.2 innings) deserved more credit all along.
Walker is capable of inducing weak contact and managing base traffic, but he’s not built for deep outings or high-leverage situations. Once trouble brews or his pitch count rises, it’s usually time to pull the plug.
On Thursday, manager Rob Thomson pushed him into the sixth after five strong innings — and the decision came back to haunt the Phillies.
Rob Thomson once again stuck with Taijuan Walker too long in Phillies sixth-inning implosion
Walker was credited with only one earned run on Thursday, but his overall performance was somewhat misleading. The Nationals scored four runs in the sixth inning off seven batters he faced, before Orion Kerkering recorded the final out of the inning. Though some of those runs were deemed “unearned” due to a Bryce Harper error at first base and a passed ball by Rafael Marchán, Walker still allowed a couple of RBI hits and a walk that extended the inning.
It’s hard to overstate just how much Walker has improved compared to last year. Not long ago, Phillies fans were openly hoping for him to be moved to another team. Now, as we approach May, there’s a real discussion about whether the Phillies should consider a six-man rotation once Ranger Suárez returns.
The 32-year-old right-hander deserves significant praise for his offseason efforts, returning with a more varied pitching repertoire. When Walker was inserted into the rotation due to Suárez’s preseason injury, there was a widespread sense of concern. He hadn’t looked strong in spring training, and the 2024 season was one to forget. However, Walker has become an important part of the Phillies’ rotation, with the team winning three out of the five games he started before Thursday’s outing.
Nevertheless, a manager’s job is to stay aware of the situation and act accordingly. Walker isn’t without his weaknesses, and they often become more apparent the longer he stays in a game. While this is a common issue for many pitchers as their pitch count rises, Walker has shown particular volatility over his two-plus years in Philadelphia. Even if not every run he allows is “earned,” there’s no reason to let base-runners and runs continue to accumulate.
For now, Walker has earned his place in the rotation, but Thomson must remain vigilant, especially with the Mets pulling further ahead in the division.