DENVER — Taijuan Walker made his return to the Philadelphia Phillies rotation on Wednesday in opposition to the Colorado Rockies. Nevertheless, supervisor Rob Thomson made clear on Wednesday that Walker beginning once more as soon as injured teammate Aaron Nola returns isn’t within the plans.
Nola was placed on the 15-day injured list on Friday with a sprained proper ankle. The harm opened a spot within the rotation for Walker to return as a starter in opposition to the Rockies, one thing that he hasn’t carried out since Might 1 in opposition to the Washington Nationals.
Since that begin in opposition to Washington, the 32-year-old Walker has been utilized in lengthy aid out of the Phillies bullpen, racking up 6.0 innings over two appearances. He earned a three-inning save on Might 7 at Tampa Bay, permitting only one hit and placing out seven throughout that span.
That form of success out of the bullpen has Thomson “excited” about what Walker can probably do for the Phillies the remainder of the season.
“I am actually excited to see him come out of bullpen once we put him again there, simply to see if his stuff performs up,” Thomson mentioned earlier than Wednesday’s sport. “The few occasions he is come out (of the bullpen), the primary one in Tampa was unbelievable, however even the second outing, the primary couple innings had been actually good. So I am form of enthusiastic about it.”
Walker posted a 2.29 ERA in his first 4 begins of the season (19.2 innings), marking the second-best mark for him by means of his first 4 begins of his 13-year MLB profession. Solely in 2016 when he logged a 1.44 ERA by means of 4 begins (25.0 innings) with the Seattle Mariners has Walker kicked off the marketing campaign with a decrease ERA.
That sturdy begin to this season additionally included 10.2 scoreless innings in his first two begins, marking simply the eleventh time since 1901 {that a} Phillies pitcher had blanked the opposition for 10-plus innings of their first two outings.
Nonetheless, regardless of the early success, Thomson indicated that when Walker returns to the bullpen, he’ll probably keep there, even forgoing the occasional spot begin if wanted.
“I feel in some unspecified time in the future we have now to determine when Nola is again, even when we’d like a spot begin, we come get someone else,” Thomson mentioned. “Simply depart him (Walker) wherever he is at and preserve him wholesome.”
