Walker’s poor performance puts Phillies’ celebration on hold for at least one more day Originally appeared in NBC Sports Philadelphia
NEW YORK — The 2024 season will likely be one Taijuan Walker wastes once it comes to a close.
Good thing the fifth spot in the rotation only has one more start in the regular season.
For the second straight night, the Phillies had one goal: win the game and clinch a playoff spot. Neither happened Thursday, when the club lost the series opener to the Mets 10-6 at Citi Field.
The magic number for a playoff spot remains one.
The magic number to win the NL East remains four.
And luckily for the Phillies, while the Dodgers won (and by won I mean they absolutely crushed the Marlins, 20-4) and tied them for first place in the National League, the Phillies have the tiebreaker after winning the season series. So, there’s a sigh of relief.
In terms of relief, though, that’s pretty much where it begins and ends.
Unfortunately, the scene was set early, a feeling we all know all too well when Walker takes the mound.
Walker allowed back-to-back homers to Mark Vientos and Pete Alonso to give the Mets an early lead. Vientos’ solo homer came on an 85.3 mph first pitch that had an exit velocity of 113.2.
The Phillies and Mets traded a pair of two-run homers in the third inning. Trea Turner connected for his 19th of the season off Luis Severino to briefly tie the game before Brandon Nimmo returned the favor.
“The whole game was a down-ball game,” coach Rob Thomson said. “Every time we scored, they scored back. We were constantly down.”
Trailing by two points once again, the Phillies went back to work and found some contribution in the bottom half of the lineup. Nick Castellanos singled, JT Realmuto drew a walk and Brandon Marsh singled down the left field line to drive in a run.
The Phillies were down just one run: it looked like they could continue to chip away at the Mets’ lead and possibly turn the tide.
Walker didn’t even record an out in the bottom of the inning before that hope was dashed.
Francisco Alvarez hit the Mets’ fourth homer of the night in as many innings, only this time it was a three-run shot to put the Phillies in their largest deficit of the night.
The inning went downhill quickly, but the decision to keep Walker in the game and face a few more batters was also a result of wanting to save bullpen arms.
“We’ve got a game tomorrow, we’ve got a game six days in a row,” Thomson said. “So if you start using all those players, what happens tomorrow if you’re out?
“It didn’t work. It was my fault. I’ll use it.”
In Walker’s eight appearances since coming off the disabled list on Aug. 13, he has allowed 12 home runs. In the 15 games he has started this season, he has allowed 22.
Walker’s night ended after 3.1 innings. He allowed six hits, eight runs, three walks, hit J.D. Martinez with a pitch… and allowed four home runs.
“It hasn’t been a good year for me,” Walker said after the loss. “It’s what it looks like. I’ve been working hard and doing everything I need to do, but the results aren’t coming for me right now.”
“I thought there was a little bit more improvement today, but I didn’t execute, I didn’t get ahead. When I got two strikes, I didn’t get guys on the field. I’m just not getting it done at all.”
The four home runs are the most he has allowed in a single game in his career.
Jose Ruiz also couldn’t stop the bleeding when he came in to relieve Walker. Two more runs crossed the plate and the one-run deficit, which had been narrow before, increased to six.
Aside from Turner’s homer, one of the only bright spots was Brandon Marsh, who had two singles and an RBI.
Bryce Harper hit a two-out double that brought in the Phillies’ fifth and sixth runs. On a night when a lot of things didn’t go right, five of his six runs came with two outs.
There’s always tomorrow, right?
It will be a rematch of last week’s left-handers, Cristopher Sanchez (10-9, 3.24 ERA) and David Peterson (9-2, 2.85). Sanchez allowed one run in seven innings in the Phillies’ narrow 2-1 victory.
Do it.
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