PHILADELPHIA — The Taijuan Walker starting pitcher experience is officially over.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson informed the struggling righthander Thursday that he will move to the bullpen. It culminates an almighty struggle for Walker, who is 3-6 with a 6.50 ERA in 14 starts. In four starts since returning Aug. 13 from the injured list, he is 0-3 with a 9.17 ERA in 17.2 innings and batters teeing off at a .377 clip.
Thomson has stuck by Walker, who went 15-6 with a 4.38 ERA and 172 innings last year, and has empathized with his struggle. But it’s become untenable for the NL East leaders.
“He was a complete professional,” Thomson said. “And like I said last night, I feel for him, because he’s put so much time and effort into this thing. He’s worked extremely hard: long toss, weighted balls, light balls, all kinds of stuff. And he’s not the same guy that he was. And hopefully, with work over the offseason and the rest of the season, we get that velocity back and that stuff back.”
Wednesday’s pasting by Houston — six innings, six earned runs, 13 hits, no strikeouts — was the last straw. The Phillies hope to build Walker toward a long man role, but he’ll start one inning at a time in the lowest of leverage situations.
Only four of Walker’s 212 big-league appearances have come out of the ’pen. It’ll require a substantial alteration of his normal routine. Shorter outings and fewer pitches, Thomson hopes, may help.
“I’m hoping the stuff will tick up, the velocity will tick up, and he’ll get out there and just power the ball through the zone,” Thomson said.
Walker is in year two of a four-year, $76 million contract.
While Thomson isn’t looking much further than a potentially division-deciding four-game set with Atlanta this weekend, he hopes an offseason regimen like the one that injuries truncated this year could restore Walker to past form. Until then, it’s damage limitation. The Phillies have lost his last nine starts.
Walker’s spot in the rotation will next come up Tuesday. Thomson said the most impressive spot starter this year is Kolby Allard, but he’s ineligible to return to the bigs until Sept. 10, having been optioned Aug. 26. Tyler Phillips, optioned Aug. 17, could be recalled. The South Jersey native is 4-1 with a 5.50 ERA. He went 5.1 innings in Lehigh Valley on Tuesday.
Kyle Tyler is another option on the 40-man roster, claimed off waivers from Miami. He was 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA in eight games with the Marlins and is 1-1 with a 3.60 in three Lehigh Valley starts. The 27-year-old pitched four innings Wednesday.
Thomson said the club has determined who will start but hasn’t yet notified the player. They will likely get at least two turns of the rotation.
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Leading off for the Atlanta Braves Thursday night was none other than Phillies castoff Whit Merrifield. Thomson was simultaneously heartened for a player that he enjoyed working with but saddened that a division rival was reaping benefits the Phillies couldn’t.
Merrifield was released July 12. The Braves, decimated by injuries, plucked him out of free agency. After a .199 average in 174 plate appearances with the Phillies, he’s been much better for Atlanta, hitting .275 in 109 plate appearances. His OPS is almost 200 points higher in Atlanta.
It’s no mystery to Thomson: The Braves are playing Merrifield regularly, something the Phillies couldn’t offer the three-time All-Star.
“I’m happy for him, personally. I really am,” Thomson said. “He’s getting a chance to play, and I think that’s the key to him playing well. And he wasn’t going to get a chance here, really. It was going to be play, off three days, play, off. And that’s hard for some guys. So now he’s getting a chance to play every day, and he’s performing.”
Merrifield had four hits in last week’s three-game set between the teams.
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After Wednesday’s thorough tenderization by the Astros, Michael Mercado was demoted. Yunior Marte takes his place.
Mercado allowed four runs and three home runs in 1.1 innings to run his ERA to 11.08 over 13 big league innings. He’s allowed three homers in each of his last three outings.
“I think command, throwing strikes,” Thomson said. “I think last night, he probably got a little sped up after the home run and to be able to just calm his nerves up.”
Marte is up for his fourth stint this year. He totes a 7.13 ERA in 22 games. He allowed one hit and no runs in his last three outings with the IronPigs.
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NOTES >> Despite a minor setback, Andrew Painter is back throwing from 90 feet in his recovery from Tommy John surgery. He’ll soon progress to 120 feet, and the Phillies hope to get him on the mound to face live hitters in the fall. The delay doesn’t affect the club’s expectation of him being ready for the start of next spring. … Spencer Turnbull (shoulder) is throwing at 120 feet. Thomson said that as long as he’s ready to pitch “any time in September,” he can be an option for the postseason. Turnbull had a 2.65 ERA in 54.1 innings this season. … Johan Rojas will start Friday against the Braves, Thomson said. Austin Hays started for the fourth straight game in left Thursday, with Brandon Marsh in center. That seems to be the preferred starting outfield at the moment.
Source: Berkshire mont
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