The Philadelphia Phillies didn't operate as aggressively as fans wanted this offseason. The Juan Soto dream died pretty quickly, and Alex Bregman never quite materialized as a serious option. Still, Dave Dombrowski did not sit on his hands.
Philly brought in Max Kepler to play full-time in left field, which should limit Johan Rojas' negative reps at the plate. Then the Phillies traded for Jesus Luzardo, one of the brightest young pitchers in MLB. Last season was a challenge for Luzardo, who dealt with injuries and posted a 5.00 ERA across 12 starts, but when healthy, the 27-year-old has flashed ace-level stuff. He's immediately among the best, if not the best, fifth starters in the National League.
The Luzardo trade was notable for multiple reasons. It proved Dombrowski's commitment to swinging for the fences, even when Philadelphia's cap sheet is, well, full. The Phillies are doubling down on elite pitching in an effort to offset the occasional cold spells from their highly experienced lineup. Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, and Kyle Schwarber can definitely pop off at the right time, but in case Philly's bats go cold in the playoffs, the staff should carry its weight (and then some).
Luzardo's arrival also put Taijuan Walker's immediate future in doubt. The former All-Star reached a new low in 2024: He made 15 starts across 19 appearances, but was straight-up unplayable. The Phillies benched him for the playoffs, to which Walker responded with weird shots at Rob Thomson on social media. He dug his own grave and did not respond well in the face of adversity.
Now, with the odds stacked against him, Walker is making his case in spring training. Unfortunately for those more skpetical Phillies fans, the veteran appears to be throwing as well as he has in years.
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Taijuan Walker gaining early momentum in battle for final Phillies roster spot
Philadelphia essentially has 12 of its 13 regular-season pitchers booked. There's one bullpen spot up for grabs in spring training, with Walker seemingly in the lead. He has lost his spot in the starting rotation (for now), but it's hard to discount the man due $36 million over the next two years. The Phillies don't want to cut or demote Walker if there's still value left.
To his credit, it sure sounds like Walker is acing the early days of spring training. On Friday, he struck out Bryson Stott, Max Kepler, and J.T. Realmuto in five straight plate appearances during batting practice. Thomson took notice.
"I'm so proud of him, the work that he's put in," Thomson told NBC Sports Philadelphia. "I mean, he looks better than he did the year he won 15 games (2023) at this point in time. Just physically, his movements, athleticism. The ball's coming out hot and the split's fantastic. He's landing his breaking ball. He was good that year in spring training but I think he's better this year. It's one thing to throw bullpens, but then when you go out there and punch out five guys in a row in a BP session, now you've really got confidence."
This is either great news or terrible news, depending on your persuasion. Those with the heart to give Walker another shot will rejoice at what sounds like meaningful growth. Walker reportedly worked extra hard this offseason, taking up a weighted ball regimen meant to increase his velocity. His fastball currently sits above 92 MPH, per Thomson.
Those still recovering from last season's disaster class, however, are understandably wary when it comes to giving Walker a "second chance." He has been on the decline for a while. Last season was not merely "bad," it was cosmically embarrassing. Walker finished with a 7.10 ERA and 1.72 WHIP, allowing 107 hits and 66 earned runs across 83.2 innings. There has not been a former All-Star making Walker's salary to pitch that poorly over an entire season in some time.
The damage is mitigated if Walker is relegated to a low-stakes bullpen role, but Philadelphia cannot, under any circumstances, put Walker in a high-leverage position. It feels like the Phillies are an injury away from starting Walker again, and that's an unsettling feeling.