Latest news with #TaijuanWalker
Reuters
4 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
Phillies move veteran starter Taijuan Walker to bullpen
June 2 - Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker is being shifted from the starting rotation to the bullpen as the team retools its pitching staff. "I think Tai's got a chance to make us a lot better coming out of the 'pen," manager Rob Thomson told reporters Sunday. Following a 5-2 loss to the visiting Milwaukee Brewers, the Phillies' bullpen carried a collective 4.65 ERA, the sixth-worst mark of any bullpen in the majors. Walker, 32, is in his third season with the Phillies following stays with the Seattle Mariners (2013-16, 2020), Arizona Diamondbacks (2017-19), Toronto Blue Jays (2020) and New York Mets (2021-22). Walker was 2-4 with a 3.53 ERA over 10 games (eight starts) this season. He threw three shutout innings to earn his first career save May 7 in a 7-0 win at the Tampa Bay Rays. Thomson said that the team will try Walker as a one-inning reliever. Philadelphia tapped rookie Mick Abel to start Thursday at the Toronto Blue Jays in Walker's place. A 2020 first-round draft pick (15th overall), Abel made his MLB debut May 18 against the Pittsburgh Pirates; he scattered five hits and threw nine strikeouts without a walk in six shutout innings en route to a win. The Phillies also recalled right-handed reliever Seth Johnson and designated right-hander Jose Ruiz for assignment. Johnson, 26, made his major league debut last September in a start against Miami and was shelled for nine runs on eight hits and three walks in 2 1/3 innings. He hasn't pitched for the Phillies since, and he was 2-2 with a 4.91 ERA in 16 games (four starts) for Triple-A Lehigh Valley this year. Ruiz, 30, was 1-0 with an 8.16 ERA in 16 bullpen appearances in 2025. --Field Level Media
Fox News
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Phillies Bench Taijuan Walker, Mick Able Returns as Starter
Two Americans advance in the Men's Singles of the French Open and the Phillies remove Taijuan Walker from their starting lineup. #FrenchOpen #Phillies #MLB #MilwaukeeBrewers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit Jeffrey Petz
CBS News
8 hours ago
- Business
- CBS News
Philadelphia Phillies moving Taijuan Walker to the bullpen and replacing him with Mick Abel
The Philadelphia Phillies restructured their bullpen on Sunday, removing Taijuan Walker from the rotation and recalling right-handed reliever Seth Johnson before their series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers. Mick Abel will take Walker's place in the starting rotation on Thursday in Toronto. Reliever José Ruiz was designated for assignment to make room on the roster for Johnson. The 32-year-old Walker, who has been primarily a starter throughout his 13-year career, will move to the bullpen on a permanent basis, manager Rob Thomson announced. "I think Tai's got a chance to make us a lot better coming out of the 'pen," Thomson said. Walker has made 10 appearances this season, including eight starts and two long relief appearances, with a 2-4 record and 3.53 ERA in 43 1/3 innings. He is in the third year of a $72 million, four-year contract. Thomson will use Walker in one-inning roles. Abel made his major league debut on May 18, throwing six scoreless innings. The 23-year-old was the 15th overall pick in the 2020 amadeur draft. Johnson, 26, is 2-2 with a 4.91 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 33 innings with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, transitioning from the starting rotation to a relief role. He made one appearance for the Phillies last year, allowing nine earned runs in 2 1/3 innings on Sept. 8 against Miami. Johnson was acquired by the Phillies from Baltimore on July 30, 2024, in a trade for Gregory Soto. Ruiz had an 8.16 ERA in 14 1/3 innings this season, including allowing five runs in one inning of Saturday's 17-7 loss to the Brewers. The 30-year-old right-hander had a 5-1 record and 3.71 ERA in 52 appearances in 2024.
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Phillies make brutal decision over $72million star pitcher after 12-run nightmare
The Philadelphia Phillies are moving star pitcher Taijuan Walker to the bullpen amid the team's 4-game losing streak to shake things up before their season turns into freefall. Walker moves from the starting mound after another Phillies starter, Jesus Luzardo, gave up 12 runs on Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers, setting off a chain reaction of personnel moves. Walker, who is in the third year of a $72million contract, last pitched in Friday's loss to Milwaukee, where he gave up seven hits and four runs in four innings of work. The 32-year-old has made 10 appearances this season, with eight coming as starts. Walker has amassed a 2-4 record and a 3.53 earned-run average. Maybe the biggest blow of all for Walker is Phillies manager Rob Thomson admitting the team will use him in one-inning roles at first. Walker has been a starter for most of his career, with the Phillies demotion a blow to his involvement with the team. Mick Abel will take Walker's place in the starting lineup, with his next start slated for Thursday. Abel is already on Philadelphia's roster, being called up to the big leagues last month, and will make the opposite journey from Walker. The Phillies are only one game back of the New York Mets for first place in the National League East and hold the top Wild Card spot. Yet, with how things have transpired over the last week or so, with only two victories to show in those games, the Phillies are being proactive to right the ship. Philadelphia is three games ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants, who are tied for the final Wild Card spot.
New York Post
11 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Phillies make drastic Taijuan Walker move after 17-run disaster
Taijuan Walker is headed to the bullpen. The ex-Met is being shifted to a setup role as the Phillies shake up their starting rotation following a disaster outing from Jesus Luzardo, who gave up 12 runs in a 17-7 loss to the Brewers on Saturday. Advertisement In addition to moving Walker to the bullpen, prospect Mick Abel will go into the rotation, Jose Ruiz was designated for assignment and reliever Seth Johnson was recalled from the minors. Walker has made eight starts this season and come in twice as a long reliever, holding a 3.53 ERA over 43 ⅓ innings. This will be the first time in his career that Walker — who's currently in year three of a four-year, $72 million deal — has regularly pitched out of the bullpen. 'He's a pro,' manager Rob Thomson told reporters. 'He really is. I'm sure he's not 100 percent happy. I think he still thinks of himself as a starter. But he's a pro. And I think that he's a guy that'll do anything to help the team.' Advertisement 3 Taijuan Walker pitches for the Phillies against the Brewers on May 30, 2025. AP 3 Mick Abel pitches for the Phillies against the Pirates on May 18, 2025. AP Walker, who gave up four runs in four innings in his last start, told reporters on Friday that a move to the bullpen could be good for him. Advertisement 'If I have one inning to blow it out, whatever it is, I feel like my stuff would play up just a little bit more,' he said. 'Knowing that I got one inning, just let it eat.' Abel, who made his MLB debut on May 18 with six scoreless innings, will start in Walker's place on Thursday against the Blue Jays. 3 Phillies starter Jesus Luzardo reacts after being removed from the game on May 31, 2025. Kyle Ross-Imagn Images Advertisement The plan is to keep this setup in place for the time being while Aaron Nola continues recovering from a sprained ankle, with his return expected in mid-June. 'I have a lot of confidence in all those guys,' Thomson said. 'But I think Tai's got a chance to make us a lot better coming out of the pen.'
