"Don't see how this is a solution"; "Going from bad to worse" - Phillies fans unconvinced by team's decision to demote Taijuan Walker to the bullpen 

The Philadelphia Phillies announced that Taijuan Walker will be moved from their starting rotation into a bullpen role for the rest of the 2024 season to help recover his confidence on the mound. Walker is going through a tough campaign, and Phillies manager Rob Thomson was forced into the decision as he prepares his team for the playoffs in the final month of the regular season.

Matt Gleb, the Phillies beat writer for The Athletic, broke the news on Wednesday evening, which was greeted with cynicism by some fans on social media.

Taijuan Walker joined Philadelphia on a four-year, $72 million deal as a free agent in 2023 after an impressive season with the New York Mets. He finished his first year with a 15-6 record despite having a fairly high 4.38 ERA and 1.309 WHIP. However, his form plummeted this season, and he currently ranks among the worst starting pitchers in the MLB with over 60 innings.

Phillies fans were subsequently not pleased about Walker still being a part of the pitching staff when they expressed their opinions on X/Twitter:

"So now he can blow games in the bullpen instead of as a starter. Don't see how this is a solution," one fan wrote.

"We're going from bad to worse," another fan said.

"A guy who had two swing and misses in 93 pitches is the perfect fit for our bullpen," one fan sarcastically said.

Many Phillies supporters believe Taijuan Walker will only be used in low-risk situations, and he is not expected to be on the roster for the postseason:

"Guys he isn’t going to be put in save situations he'll prolly only be in when crushed," one fan said.

"They might use Walker in low risk situations, if the team has a big lead. At least he is not in the rotation and definitely won't pitch in the playoffs," another fan added.

"Phillies biding their time til they can swap out Walker for Dylan Covey. Writing is on the wall for Taijuan," a fan commented.

Thus far, Walker has a 3-6 record for the season, although he has pitched just 70.2 innings in his 14 starts. He currently holds a 6.50 ERA with a 1.642 WHIP and 2.9 home runs per nine innings. Meanwhile, Walker has allowed 21 hits and 12 earned runs in the nine innings he pitched over his previous two starts.

Bullpen role a last chance saloon for Taijuan Walker

Taijuan Walker will probably be dropped from the roster for the postseason (Image Credit: Getty)

It will be interesting to see the Philadelphia Phillies' long-term strategy regarding Taijuan Walker's contract. A bullpen role is perhaps the last chance for Walker to prove his worth for the team, as the four-year deal has not worked out as well as they would have hoped. Nevertheless, the Phillies will still owe him $36 million for the remaining two years of his deal after the end of this season.

Meanwhile, Tyler Phillips is expected to replace the right-hander on the mound for his next scheduled outing against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday.