The Philadelphia Phillies are three games above .500 and second place in the NL East. Not the worst start, but also not the outright dominance fans hoped for. Many of the same flaws that held Philadelphia back last season are prevalent again in 2025, which has led to a creeping doubt about their World Series chances.
Rob Thomson's Phillies have a history of finishing strong, though, so Philadelphia is due for a hot spell eventually. The offense remains touch and go, spearheaded by elite sluggers like Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, but equally hampered by weak links of the Brandon Marsh and Alec Bohm variety. As for the pitching staff, well... the bullpen needs work.
Where Philadelphia continues to outpace opponents, however, is the starting rotation. It's really the only thing propping the Phillies up as a hypothetical contender. There isn't a better five-man rotation in baseball. Aaron Nola is off to a slow start this season, but he threw seven innings of three-hit, one-run baseball against smoldering Chicago Cubs over the weekend. Perhaps the tide is turning.
That depth could lead Philadelphia to consider opening up trade conversations around one of this season's most important contributors (I'm as surprised as anybody to be typing this). Taijuan Walker has a 2.78 ERA and 1.37 WHIP through five starts, with 0.5 WAR. Might he return something of value ahead of the deadline?
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Phillies should consider selling high on Taijuan Walker while they still can
Walker's Phillies tenure has been a roller coaster. Last season was abysmal, as Walker dealt with injuries and watched his ERA spike to ungodly heights (7.10). He was among the worst pitchers in MLB, surrendering hard contact at an alarming rate and seldom missing bats.
Now, like new, Walker is throwing gas on the mound. He's still not peaking the charts in terms of velocity, and sure, he could stand to trim a few extra base runners each night. But Walker has worked his way out of jams with incredible poise and limited offensive explosions through five starts. Is it at all sustainable? We can't possibly know, but Walker's hard-hit rate sits in the 70th percentile for now — compared to the first (worst) percentile in 2024.
We probably shouldn't coronate Walker as an All-Star just yet, but he's on the right track. That makes it a perfect time for Philadelphia to sell high. For as great as Walker has been through April, we know what the other side of the coin looks like. The Phillies are also well-stocked in the starting rotation, with Ranger Suárez expected back on the big-league roster shortly.
Thomson has said Philly might deploy a six-man rotation — understandable, given the present state of the bullpen and the need to keep certain folks well-rested — but there's a much stronger case in favor of trading Walker. He's under contract for $18 million annually through next season, so Philadelphia can't expect a huge return, but there's an appetite league-wide for dependable, durable arms. Might Walker finally fit the criteria?
One has to remember that Phillies No. 1 prospect Andrew Painter is already coming down the pipeline, due to make his big-league debut sometime around the All-Star break. As such, Philadelphia has no real incentive to keep seven quality starters in the mix down the stretch. Injuries can always strike at inopportune moments, but if the Phillies believe in Painter as more than a bullpen weapon this season, it makes sense to get out ahead of the curve and clear space.
Walker feels like a ticking time bomb. Philadelphia just cannot count on this level of production for 20-plus starts. As such, general manager Dave Dombrowski needs to get on the phone and see if Philly can parlay Walker's unexpected success into any sort of long-term value (or immediate outfield help).