Right-hander Taijuan Walker, sidelined since late June with right index finger inflammation, took a step toward his return to the Phillies on Wednesday as he pitched in his first minor-league rehab start since hitting the injured list.
Walker allowed three runs, two earned, in 2 2/3 innings for Double-A Reading at First Energy Stadium, surrendering a two-run double in a shaky top of the first and a sacrifice fly in the third. His velocity increased as he got settled into his 41-pitch outing, and his go-to splitter felt comfortable coming out of his hand.
“Felt good,” Walker said, via the Reading Fightin Phils. “First inning, started off a little slow, but that second and third inning I felt really good. Velo ticked up on all my pitches and the shape to everything was a lot sharper. The splitter, I felt like it was back to my normal swing-and-misses and groundballs.”
Walker called the splitter his “bread-and-butter pitch” following his rehab appearance and said the goal was to throw it as often as he could. Rediscovering the splitter will be key for the veteran righty after he struggled to grip it and throw it effectively while dealing with his inflamed finger in Philadelphia. Walker seemed to think Wednesday was a step in the right direction. He’ll pitch again Tuesday for Triple-A Lehigh Valley with a target of four innings and around 60 to 65 pitches.
“I’ve been working hard on it,” he said of his splitter, “and I thought it was really good today.”
After getting a late start to the season due to right shoulder soreness, Walker struggled in 10 starts for the Phillies. He had a 5.60 ERA in 53 innings. His average fastball velocity was only 91.1 mph, a full 1.5 mph slower than last year, and he largely didn’t have his best splitter. Walker was a very useful member of the Phillies in 2023 as he tossed 172 2/3 innings with a 4.38 ERA, but the neither the results or the volume have been there this season.
The 31-year-old returning to form and rejoining the rotation could be a boost for the Phillies. Left-hander Ranger Suárez is also on the 15-day injured list with lower back soreness, and right-hander Spencer Turnbull, who began the year as a starter in Walker’s place, is on the IL with a right lat strain. That leaves Tyler Phillips and Kolby Allard in the major-league rotation for the time being. Phillips has excelled so far in his debut for his hometown team, but it’s fair to wonder how long he can sustain this kind of success. Allard has a 6.11 ERA in 249 career innings.
Walker, if he can replicate the way he pitched last year, can help stabilize the Phillies’ starting pitching situation down the stretch and eat innings to take pressure off the bullpen. As was the case last October, he may not be a factor in the playoffs, but the former All-Star has a role he can play for the team in the regular season. It’ll remain to be seen if he can keep building stamina and velocity as he continues to ramp up in the minors, but Walker could certainly be a contributor in Philadelphia soon if he stays on schedule.
