In what is easily the funniest possible way to start the 2025 season, Philadelphia Phillies faux ace Taijuan Walker threw a scoreless six-inning gem against the Colorado Rockies in his first start. The former All-Star underwent a rigorous training regimen this winter after his disastrous 2024 campaign; Maybe it paid off?
This leaves the Phillies in a bind. Is Walker suddenly good enough to start every fifth game without pre-writing the "Why We Lost" column? Or was this a Road Rockies mirage? Those of us who've been around the block once or twice know it's the latter. Philadelphia cannot get too comfortable with Walker making regular, high-leverage appearances.
With Ranger Suárez still on the mend, however, the Phillies don't have many options right now. Walker is on the books for another $36 million through next season. He is paid like a starter and, for now, Philly doesn't have a clear alternative option ready for big-league hitters. Walker certainly bought himself time, even a bit of confidence, with his strong season debut.
Good news, though: The Phillies won't be caught in this strange Walker limbo for much longer. Andrew Painter, Philly's No. 1 prospect and MLB's No. 7 prospect overall, is coming down the pipeline.
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Andrew Painter takes critical step toward long-awaited Phillies debut
Painter missed the 2024 season after Tommy John surgery, but the 21-year-old is on the fast track for a big-league debut in 2025. He dominated the Arizona Fall League and now, he's expected to begin his climb through the minors with a start for Low-A Clearwater on Friday, per Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Andrew Painter will begin his climb through the minor leagues with a start Friday night for low-A Clearwater.
— Scott Lauber (@ScottLauber) April 6, 2025
The expectation is that Painter will be on the MLB roster around the All-Star break. He will presumably be on a pitch count in these early Minor-League starts, as Philadelphia will operate with caution, but the ascent is imminent. Barring a setback, the Phillies should install Painter as the sixth starter in a deep rotation with a long runway before October.
That means this extended Taijuan Walker flirtation will end eventually. With all due respect to Walker, who probably isn't as bad as his 7.10 ERA from last season suggests, the Phillies cannot depend on him. Not consistently. He's fine as a low-leverage long relief option and an emergency starter if injuries pile up, but he cannot be a rotation regular. Not if the Phillies are serious about winning.
Painter is not a guaranteed hit either. He has nasty stuff and all the early signs are positive, but the list of flourishing 21-year-old pitchers in MLB is ... short. Philadelphia is a top-shelf contender with a mandate to win games; if Painter struggles even a little bit out of the gate, it could raise alarm bells in the short term, even if it's not cause for long-term anxiety.
It's worth a shot, though. Painter's ceiling is so much higher than what Walker provides and Philadelphia's offseason moves were overwhelmingly rooted in run prevention. The offense looks much better than it did a few months ago, but Dave Dombrowski has built this roster to win games on the mound. Painter has a chance to crystalize MLB's best rotation in a few months' time. It's an exciting proposition.