The Philadelphia Phillies have been without Taijuan Walker since the end of June due to an injury. With the MLB Trade Deadline approaching, there could be some additions coming to the Phillies roster as well.
But, the Phillies got a big injury update on Walker ahead of the deadline, per MLB.com. His expected return is sometime in August.
‘Walker threw an up-and-down bullpen session on July 20 at PNC Park. Manager Rob Thomson said he expects Walker to throw another bullpen during the team’s series against the Twins from July 22-24, then throwing batting practice once the Phillies return home later that week. He will eventually need at least a couple of rehab starts before he rejoins the rotation. Walker, who began the season on the injured list with right shoulder soreness, has had difficulty locating his splitter this season — an issue that Thomson said could stem from inflammation and a blister on Walker’s right index finger. He was placed on the IL on June 23.’
So, Walker’s return to the Phillies seems imminent, which is good news despite his struggles. The unfortunate part is that the location of the blister had prevented him from having a good grip on the baseball.
‘The location of the blister has made it difficult for Walker to grip his splitter, but it does not impact his ability to grip the fastball, so he has continued to throw while on the IL. That said, the length of the IL stint will depend entirely on his ability to regain that splitter grip without any discomfort and throw the pitch effectively. ‘
As it stands now, the Phillies should expect Walker back sometime in the next few weeks after a month away due to the injury.
Taijuan Walker has struggled for the Phillies
Walker’s 2024 season in Philadelphia has not gone as planned one bit. He has a 3-3 record with a 5.60 ERA, the highest of his career. In 10 starts, he has pitched a total of 53 innings and gave up three or more runs in five of his last six starts before going on the IL. After a rough outing in June against the Baltimore Orioles, Walker expressed he wanted to get his splitter back in form:
“It kind of seemed like when I had two strikes the first couple innings they were looking for the splitter. But I feel like I’ve had most of my success because of my splitter, so I definitely want to get that back.”
In 2023, Walker pitched much better. He finished the year with a 15-6 record and a 4.38 ERA in 31 appearances, which was certainly encouraging and a sign of what was to come this time. But, it has been a much different season for the veteran right-hander.
The Phillies are on top of the National League East and have the best record in the NL, so that is certainly a good sign despite dealing with several injuries. If they can get Walker back on the mound and unlock the 2023 version, it would be a massive boost as they try and lock up a top seed heading into the MLB Playoffs.
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