Aug 5, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Taijuan Walker (99) pitches during the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Taijuan Walker isn't going to win any awards this year, but the fact that he's even a contributor in August for the Phillies would have seemed unfathomable six months ago.
But here he is, 13 starts and 11 relief appearances into this season, being bounced around from one role to another, and handling it all with aplomb.
His latest? How about six scoreless innings in a 5-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles. He allowed just four hits.
That's the best stuff I've seen out of him in two years," manager Rob Thomson said. "His velocity was good. His splitter had a lot of depth to it. There was a lot of soft contact, some swing and miss and he threw strikes. That's the third start in a row where he hadn't walked anybody.
"It's really encouraging. I'm really happy for him."
Encouraging may be an understatement.
Walker made 15 starts last year and gave up five or more earned runs in five of them. In the baker's dozen he's started this year, he hasn't given up more than four earned runs in any one start and has given up two or fewer earned runs in eight of them.
That's pretty impressive for a guy who hasn't had a defined role at all this season and was thisclose to being DFA'd in August of last season.
But Walker has persevered. He's dealt with everything that has been thrown at him and it's resulted in him being a useful pitcher on a first place ball club.
"He's tough, he's tough as nails," Thomson said. "He's going to compete. He's not going to back down from anybody. You can book that. I'm really happy for him. He's gone through a lot."
Taijuan Walker’s ERA on August 5:
2025- 3.53
2024- 5.60
2023- 3.91 pic.twitter.com/IKmnNCmGiz
Walker's numbers won't blow you away - especially for a guy making $18 million per year - but they are certainly respectable. His ERA this season is 3.53 in 79 innings. His WHIP is an acceptable 1.316. He has allowed 14 homers, which is high for 79 innings, but his home run rate per nine innings is down considerably from 2024. It was 2.6 last year. It's 1.7 this year. He doesn't strike out a lot of guys to begin with, but his strikeout rate is up slightly. His ERA+ is 119, meaning he's been 19% better than the average pitcher.
Walker as a plus pitcher for the Phillies 113 games into the season was not on many Bingo cards, yet here we are.
"My stuff is feeling really good right now," Walker said. "Everything felt really good today. I'm throwing everything for strikes. The velo held really well today. I think just mixing the pitches and pounding the zone, I thought it was one of my better games in a long time."
Taijuan Walker stuns in postgame interview after throwing 6 shutout innings pic.twitter.com/5dtKzAGlTM
Walker was only slated to have one or two more starts with Aaron Nola nearing a return from his stress fracture in his ribcage. But, with the way he's been throwing, the Phillies could lean on Walker as part of a six-man rotation to try and get some of their starters extra rest.
Thomson wouldn't say that specifically, but hinted at the possibility.
"Possibly," he said. "Especially with a couple of these long stretches here."
Starting Friday, the Phillies will only have one off day through Labor Day and only two through September 17th. That means they will play 39 games in 41 days, so as many arms as can be available, will likely need to be.
"I know I didn't do my job last year to earn a spot and we have a lot of really good starting pitching," Walker said. "I lost my spot, but I came in ready and I've just been ready all year whenever they call my name. ... Whatever they need me to do, whether it's back in the bullpen or part of a six-man (rotation) or whatever it is, I'm just going ot be ready like I have been all year.
"I want to start, but again, whatever the team needs. We're getting down to a month-and-a-half, or whatever we've got left. Everyone knows that come September or October it's all hands on deck."
And somehow, Walker has earned enough trust to be one of those hands - and that's not something anyone would have imagine when the team arrived in Clearwater in February.
