Taijuan Walker will continue his fill-in role in the Philadelphia Phillies’ starting rotation for at least one more start. Walker is slated to start on July 19, Mick Abel was optioned by the Phillies to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on July 4, leading to Walker moving back into the starting rotation. This season, Abel has a 2-2 record with a 5.04 ERA in five major league starts. He gave up nine earned runs across 4 2/3 innings pitched in his two most recent major league outings, leading the Phillies to send him down to Triple-A for a reset. The Phillies open the second half of the regular season with a six-game homestand against the Los Angeles Angels and the Boston Red Sox.
Taijuan Walker’s Fill-In Role for Phillies Rotation Continues
Walker Previously Moved to Bullpen Long-Term
Phillies manager Rob Thomson previously stated that Walker would be in the bullpen full-time. Abel was in line to start until Aaron Nola returns from injury. However, that has now changed. Walker appears to be in the rotation until Nola comes back. Nola will soon be eligible to come back, but it remains to be seen when that will happen. The Phillies stated that they did not want Walker moving back and forth between the bullpen and the starting rotation. They seemed to commit to that before Abel began struggling. What makes it worse, arguably, is the insistence from Thomson that Walker was not spot-starting for the Phillies anymore this season.
How the Phillies Rotation will be set after the All-Star Break:
Friday (LAA)- Jesus Luzardo
Saturday (LAA)- Taijuan Walker
Sunday (LAA)- Ranger Suarez
Monday (BOS)- Zack Wheeler
Tuesday (BOS)- Cristopher Sanchezpic.twitter.com/skACXexEUg— Phillies Tailgate (@PhilsTailgate) July 14, 2025
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Improvements Compared To Last Year
Walker has a 3-5 record with a 3.55 ERA in 20 outings this season, including nine starts. To add to that, Walker has a 2.04 K/BB rate and a 1.303 WHIP this season. For comparison, he had a 7.10 ERA with a 1.57 K/BB rate and a 1.721 WHIP last season. Last season, Walker had a 2.58 HR/9 allowed rate compared to a 1.08 HR/9 allowed rate this season. This season, he has a 3.48 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP as a starter, and a 3.71 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP as a relief pitcher. Walker has a better K/BB rate and BAA as a relief pitcher, with a better HR/9 allowed rate as a starting pitcher this season. Overall, Walker has shown improvement compared to 2024.
Best Alternative Not Quite Ready
There are not many other options to fill in and make spot starts in the Phillies’ rotation. Andrew Painter is probably not ready, despite the July timeline that Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski set. Painter has a 3-5 record with a 4.84 ERA in 16 minor league starts this season. He also has a 3.38 K/BB rate along with a 1.358 WHIP this year, combined between Double-A and Triple-A. His 1.75 HR/9 allowed rate is concerning. In Triple-A, Painter has a 3-3 record and a 5.01 ERA in 12 starts, along with a 2.95 K/BB rate and a 1.78 HR/9 allowed rate. He has given up five home runs in 10 1/3 innings pitched in his last two Triple-A starts as well.
Main Photo Credit: © Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The post Veteran Righty Will Continue to Make Spot Starts in Phillies Rotation appeared first on Last Word On Baseball.