The Phillies thought they were getting a starting rotation mainstay when they signed Taijuan Walker to a four-year, $72 million deal before the 2023 regular season.
Having faltered in the 2022 World Series, the Phillies' front office felt like pitching depth was one of the reasons they fell to the Astros. They needed a back of the rotation innings-eater.
But Walker was a big swing and miss.
He's been an expensive boondoggle for the payroll since inking the deal, and he's got one year left on the inflated contract. Should the Phillies be trying to get rid of him, or finding a way to utilize him the best they can in 2026?
Why he should stay
He has become serviceable
Before the Phillies signed Walker, he had played for the Mariners, Diamondbacks, Blue Jays and Mets, with a career 3.89 ERA, 1.226 WHIP and 8.1 strikeout to walk rate. In three seasons in Philly, he has a 4.88 ERA, 1.432 WHIP and 6.7 strikeout to walk ratio. What happened?
For some reason, Walker became basically unplayable during the middle of his Phillies tenure. His control wasn't there. His health was shaky. Last year he righted the ship a bit, with a 4.08 ERA as he settled into sort of a hybrid 6th starter, long reliever role. His relief pitching, though a small sample size, wasn't bad — he had a 3.25 ERA and much better strikeout rate in 20 innings out of the bullpen in 2026. It's pretty clear that with the starting pitching depth the Phillies will have going into next season Walker would return to the bullpen, but as a long man you can certainly do worse.
They won't get anything for him
- Phillies stay or go series
- Rob Thomson | Dave Dombrowski | Kyle Schwarber | Ranger Suárez | J.T. Realmuto | Nick Castellanos | Harrison Bader | Alec Bohm | Max Kepler | Walker Buehler | Taijuan Walker | Jordan Romano, David Robertson, José Alvarado | Rafael Marchán, Weston Wilson, Edmundo Sosa, Otto Kemp
Walker is currently the 30th highest-paid pitcher in Major League Baseball, and the third-highest on the Phillies' roster. Last year he made more money than Cris Sánchez and Ranger Suárez combined. With baseball contracts fully guaranteed, the Phillies choices are to trade Walker, cut him and swallow his entire salary, or find somewhere to play him. Finding a trade suitor will be basically impossible. He's going to be a Phillie one more time.
Why he should go
There might not be room for him
The Phillies might actually have no choice but to contemplate exposing Walker to waivers next season. Here's a very early projection of the 13 pitchers they might carry in 2026:
| Pos | Pitcher | Pos | Pitcher |
| SP | Zack Wheeler | CP | Jhoan Duran |
| SP | Aaron Nola | RP | José Alvarado |
| SP | Cris Sánchez | RP | Matt Strahm |
| SP | Jesús Luzardo | RP | Orion Kerkering |
| SP | Andrew Painter | RP | Tanner Banks |
| SP | Ranger Suárez | RP | Max Lazar |
| SP/RP | Walker Buehler |
If everyone comes back and Andrew Painter pitches well in spring training (free agents in bold), the Phillies have their 13 pitchers. If you want to see any new blood via trade and free agency, it puts Walker's spot on the team in a tentative spot. He'll definitely be brought back for spring training, but it's not out of the realm of possibility that he is outpitched by 13 hurlers and the Phillies are faced with a killer decision.
Anything is better than $18 million
Is it possible that the Phillies can send Walker and a prospect to a team with payroll to burn? Or what about paying a bunch, but not all, of his salary in a trade to a team in need of a fifth starter? The Phillies should, and probably will, explore any options available to them to try and hedge on their bad investment.
Walker has not been good in Philly, and if not for his contract he probably wouldn't warrant a real conversation about sticking around.
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