Phillies to discuss Taijuan Walker making next start Originally appeared in NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Phillies will discuss whether Taijuan Walker will make their next start, manager Rob Thomson said after Wednesday’s 10-0 loss in which Walker allowed six runs and a career-high 13 hits to the Astros.
Walker has a 6.50 ERA in 14 starts this season and hasn’t improved since missing seven weeks with a blister, posting a 9.17 ERA and a 2.04 WHIP.
“We need to talk about it” and “we need to discuss it,” were Thomson’s responses when asked twice Wednesday night if Walker would make his next start.
The next time that rotation vacancy arises will be Tuesday in Toronto, but since the Phillies are off Monday, they have the option of skipping the No. 5 spot. The next time they need a fifth starter will be Saturday, Sept. 7, in Miami.
Still, that’s not an ideal option either because the Phillies would like to get Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suarez and Cristopher Sanchez some extra time heading into the final month and the postseason.
“I feel bad for him, I really do,” Thomson said of Walker. “You all know how much I respect and love players and he works extremely hard. He took the time off the injured list to try different things to get speed, to get action in his division. There’s no lack of effort there. When guys put in the effort and it doesn’t work out or you don’t see the results, it hurts. It hurts me and obviously it hurts him, too.”
Walker’s fastball velocity and splitter movement have increased slightly this month, but that hasn’t translated into anything significant.
“I’m not really sure,” Thomson said when asked why he hasn’t. “I don’t really have an answer for that. I thought he was OK for the first two innings and then he lost control in the fourth.”
“There weren’t a lot of bad swings… He definitely needs to have more bad swings than he’s having.”
Walker did not strike out an Astro in his six innings. No Phillies pitcher in 76 years had allowed that many hits without striking out.
“I’ve never had this many problems, so it’s a little bit difficult,” Walker said. “I feel good about myself, I’m confident in myself. Obviously I want to keep going and keep working to overcome it, I know we’re fighting to get to the playoffs soon.”
The Phillies have two starters in Triple-A that they have used recently: left-hander Kolby Allard and right-hander Tyler Phillips. Allard can’t be recalled from Triple-A until Sept. 9, but Phillips can be recalled again this Saturday once the 15 days have passed since he was optioned to the minors. Both have outperformed Walker, particularly Allard.
The Phillies won’t need a No. 5 starter in October, but they will need one for four or five more turns in the rotation in September.
“It’s frustrating and difficult,” Walker said of his past two weeks. “Obviously, it’s not the best of times for me. I’m just trying to stay confident and know that things are going to start to change, to go my way.”