Philly Leader

Taijuan Walker's performance during spring training with the Philadelphia Phillies is garnering attention as he shows signs of improvement compared to last year. Walker, who struggled with injuries and performance issues in 2024, appears to have regained his form this spring.

In a recent game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Walker pitched three scoreless innings before allowing a home run in the fourth inning. He ended the game with three strikeouts and no walks, allowing just one run over 3 1/3 innings. His velocity has notably increased, averaging 92.4 mph and peaking at 93.4 mph during this outing.

"I felt really good; everything felt good," Walker said about his performance. "Throwing strikes, which is key. Getting ground-ball outs, getting quick outs."

Manager Rob Thomson expressed optimism about Walker's return to form: “If he does what he's doing right now,” Thomson said, “he's back.”

Last season was challenging for Walker due to personal reasons and injuries that affected his knee and shoulder. These issues impacted his pitching velocity and effectiveness, particularly with his splitter.

Thomson acknowledged Walker's difficult year but praised his offseason efforts: “He went through a tough time last year... But to his credit, he got after it in the offseason, and he’s a different guy right now.”

Walker demonstrated an improved whiff rate of 25% against Toronto, suggesting progress in regaining control over his pitches.

Despite these promising developments, Walker still faces competition for a spot on the Phillies' roster. With established pitchers like Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola already secured in starting positions and new talent like Jesús Luzardo joining the team, Walker will need to continue proving himself.

“You’ve got to have depth,” Thomson noted regarding the team's strategy for managing their pitching staff throughout the season.