The players have a job to do and when they do not do it, they are criticized, plain and simple. It’s our job here as people who observe and discuss the Phillies to call out players when they aren’t performing, even though there is nothing we can say or write that is as harsh as the criticism the players lay on themselves.
One of the more frequent targets of criticism on the Phillies has been Taijuan Walker and his performance has more than justified it. In 2024, he was one of the worst starting pitchers in the game depending on whichever metric you choose to evaluate pitchers on. Nothing he could do or try worked. It truly was brutal to watch, so the team simply stopped watching him. Entering 2025, Walker walked into spring training not knowing exactly what he was going to be. The team had five starters already in the rotation and his skill set didn’t really match going into the bullpen.
Yet since injuries happen, Walker has actually occupied a rather important position this season. When Aaron Nola went down with a rib fracture, the team needed someone to take the ball every fifth day. Mick Abel gave them a few starts, but the team needed something a bit more.
Since his re-entry back into the starting rotation, Walker has been on a heater. His seven starts have seen him go 37 1/3 innings where he has pitched to a 2.89 ERA. He’s done so with a bit of smoke and mirrors since his FIP during that time has been 5.18, his xFIP being 4.45. While that’s a bit discouraging, the results are the results have won’t change simply because they shouldn’t have been that way. He’s given them some stability at the back of the rotation when they needed it, what with other pitchers not throwing up to their usual high standards.
So how has he been doing it?
Well, he’s not walking anyone, which is a big help. His 3.9% walk rate is tied for the fourth best walk rate in his same amount of time among qualified starters. Making hitters earn their way on base is a solid strategy. However, he’s not striking anyone out either. His 12.3% strikeout rate during this same stretch is the second worst rate among 79 qualified starters during this same time period, meaning he’s giving up a lot of contact. It makes him quite dependent on his defense making the plays. His BABIP is .275, not hugely out of the ordinary, so he’s not getting an inordinate amount of bad batted ball luck. But those batted balls are largely the focus.
Walker has done a significant job in lowering his hard hit rate. Last year, he was in the 3rd percentile at allowing hard hits, something that is simply not sustainable. This season, he has leapt all the way to the 66th percentile. He’s generating much weaker contact, which is kind of a good way to pitch if you aren’t going to strike people out. Inducing weak contact with a 92 mile per hour fastball ain’t gonna happen much, so it’s necessitated a change in arsenal usage and that’s what Walker has done.
Last season’s pitch usage was dominated by the trifecta of a sinker/splitter/sweeper.
These pitches, at least by Stuff+, were some of the worst pitches in the league for a starter, the sinker (82) and splitter (81) ranking just about near the bottom of their respective lists. Credit to Walker and the coaching staff, they recognized this and adjusted both what Walker was to throw and how often he threw it.
They have basically tripled how often he throws a cutter while holding serve with the splitter and decreasing the usage of a sinker. The cutter in particular has been an effective pitch for him this season. By Stuff+, it’s one of the better versions in the game, the 97 score ranking seventeenth among 67 pitchers who have thrown at least 90 innings. Going by Baseball Savant’s pitch arsenal stats, Walker’s cutter is at +4 in terms of run value, one of the better cutters in the game this season.
It’s been a weapon this year, something that is reflected in how often he is using it. If he can continue to miss barrels like it has, it would be wise to keep on keepin’ on.
The rotation has been the pillar upon which the team has built their championship foundation. Taijuan Walker’s effectiveness in the past few weeks have helped seal up some cracks there were forming in that foundation. He’s adjusted his arsenal to make sure he stays effective and it has helped the Phillies keep their division lead. Hopefully, he won’t cut it out down the stretch.