Bryson Stott delivers 1-word reaction on Taijuan Walker's superb outing in Phillies vs Rockies

Modified Apr 04, 2025 15:22 GMT

MLB: Colorado Rockies at Philadelphia Phillies - Source: Imagn — Taijuan Walker earned the first win of his season in his first start against the Rockies (Source: Imagn)

If anyone needed a dominant win to start their 2025 season, it had to be Philadelphia Phillies' Taijuan Walker. The starter, coming into the rotation in place of an injured Ranger Suarez, pitched six scoreless innings in a 3-1 win over the Colorado Rockies that earned his team the sweep.

Walker posted a 7.41 ERA this spring training, thereby receiving heavy criticism from the Phillies faithful who have booed him since last season. But he redeemed himself for the time being, with a strong outing against the Rockies.

He walked one, while striking out four and his sinker reached a heavy 93.9 mph. Walker let out a big cry when he struck out Hunter Goodman to end the sixth innings and walked off with a resounding ovation from the Citizens Bank Park crowd.

His teammate Bryson Stott took to Instagram to appreciate his start. The Phillies slugger described him as the "Big Dog" using a dog emoji.

Bryston Stott's Instagram Story featuring Taijuan Walker. (Source: Instagram @bryson_stott10)

Walker is in the third year of the four-year, $72 million contract he signed with the Phillies prior to the 2023 season. His debut season was respectable, with a 15-6 record and a 4.38 ERA. But 2024 couldn't have gone any worse for Walker, who finished 3-7 with a 7.10 ERA, the worst mark for a Phillies starter since 1930. He was demoted to the bullpen and left off the postseason roster.

Taijuan Walker makes feelings known about getting booed

With his mother in the stands, making the trip all the way from Arizona to Philadelphia, Taijuan Walker delivered. But despite all the applause, the negative reception for his name was expected to take an emotional toll on him. He spoke about the boos raining down on him.

“I mean, obviously, you don't want to hear [boos] constantly,” Walker said after the game. “But it's part of the game. It's tough to play here. But when you’re doing well and you're winning, it's the best fans to have.”

Walker is next slated to start in the divisional game against the Atlanta Braves on 10th April. Before that, the Phillies host the Dodgers in a three-game series over the weekend. With a 5-1 record, Philadelphia is on top of the NL East.

About the author

Nikhil Parshy is a baseball and ice hockey journalist at Sportskeeda, and after starting out as a cricket reporter, he has been an analyst with SK since November 2022. His interest in the sports were piqued a few years back after watching highlights on YouTube and he has followed the game ever since.

The Chicago Cubs breaking the 108-year curse in 2016 to lift the World Series remains Nikhil's favorite baseball moment. Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani has been his favorite player ever since he started following the game, while the LA Dodgers are his favorite team.

As a writer, Nikhil maintains a strong attention to detail and rigorously cross-checks information. He seeks to strike a balance in his writing such that the regular reader gains an insight into player profiles, while also keeping in mind that the non-regular reader is not put off by jargon and shallow analysis.

Nikhil is an avid public speaker, and when not writing about baseball, he regularly participates in debates and quizzes.

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Edited by Krutik Jain