The Philadelphia Phillies will decide whether pitcher Taijuan Walker will make the roster soon. Walker is one of the pitchers competing for the eighth bullpen spot. Matt Strahm is currently dealing with a left shoulder injury, and his opening day status is to be determined. Strahm being out for an extended period of time would alter the bullpen setup to start the regular season. In that scenario, Walker would probably start the season on the 26-man roster. This would allow for more time to make the big-picture decision.
Walker has a 1-0 record with a 3.86 ERA in three spring training starts. Additionally, Walker has a 7.19 FIP along with a .286 batting average against this spring. Walker has a 13.9% strikeout rate and a 2.8% walk rate. All things considered, Walker has shown slight improvement compared to last season. With that being said Walker does have a concerning 30.0% HR/FB rate and a 2.89 HR/9 rate this spring. Walker has been doing worse in those categories in spring training than he did during the 2024 regular season.
Remain On Team As Long Relief Pitcher
Walker could very well start the season as the Phillies long relief pitcher. At the end of last season, Walker made a few relief appearances. Walker is also already on the Phillies 40-man roster, unlike some competitors for the role. Some of the other players competing for the spot are non-roster invitees. Walker will likely be on the Phillies opening day roster at this point. Given who is still competing for the role, the status of Strahm, and other roster considerations, Walker is in a good position to make the team out of camp. While Walker should not be on the team to start the season it may happen partially out of necessity.
Traded To Another Team
Walker may get traded. The New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole will miss the 2025 season so they could be in the trade market for pitching help. To facilitate a trade the Phillies would probably need to absorb a large portion of the $36 million dollars left on Walker’s contract across the next two years. If the Phillies elect to trade Walker, the team would probably receive a low-level prospect in return, depending on what happens with the remaining salary. The Miami Marlins need to add to their payroll so they could be a trade destination. Walker should be traded if that is a possible option. That is even if the Phillies take on a large portion of the remaining salary.
Part Ways Via Release
The least likely of these options is for Walker to be released. Walker should be released if a trade partner cannot be found. However, the team seems to be inclined to keep Walker on the roster as long as possible. Walker could be released down the line. This scenario means the Phillies would eat all of the remaining money on the contract while Walker would no longer be on the team. Whit Merrifield was released by the team in 2024 due to poor performance with $8 million on his contract, so it is not entirely out of the question. However, Walker being owed much more money impacts the equation.
Main Photo Credits: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
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