Taijuan Walker’s velocity up in first spring start after rigorous offseason plan originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Sunday was a split-squad day for the Phillies, one of two during spring training. Half the team stayed in Clearwater with Kyle Schwarber, Nick Castellanos, Bryce Harper, Alec Bohm and J.T. Realmuto in the lineup and Cristopher Sanchez on the mound.
The bigger deal, though, was over in Dunedin, where manager Rob Thomson went to watch Taijuan Walker’s first appearance of the spring. This is a crucial camp for Walker because despite having two years and $36 million left on his contract, he won’t have a role on the 26-man roster without earning it. The Phillies’ rotation is filled with five starters and there is only one spot available in their bullpen, which may or may not go to a long man.
Walker allowed a leadoff single to Bo Bichette and a solo home run to Daulton Varsho in the first inning but the most important sign was that his fastball and sinker were 93-94 mph.
His four-seamers were clocked at 93.7, 93.9, 92.6, 93.2, 92.4, 92.1 and 92.2.
His sinkers were clocked at 93.5, 92.8, 92.4, 92.5 and 93.0.
This is a far cry from spring 2024 when Walker’s four-seamer and sinker both averaged 89 mph, an issue that lingered into the regular season and resulted in the worst year of his career. It’s only March 2 and it’s only two innings, but Sunday’s velocity was more in line with Walker’s more serviceable 2023.
Walker’s second inning was 1-2-3 with a George Springer lineout, Andres Gimenez tapper back to the mound and Alejandro Kirk strikeout.
The Phillies aren’t as desperate in 2025 as they were in 2024 for Walker to have a productive season because they’re better-stocked with starting pitching depth. Beyond their five, they have veteran swingman Joe Ross and more quantity in the upper minors like Tyler Phillips, Kyle Tyler, Alan Rangel, Seth Johnson, Mick Abel and eventually Andrew Painter. That said, Walker would probably be the first or second man up to Ross to make a spot start early in the season if a need arises.
The Phillies owe Walker so much money that it never made great business sense to release him last summer or over the offseason even if performance warranted it. It would not have gained the team anything. Instead, the organization and Walker came to an understanding about a rigorous offseason plan, which started only a few weeks after the playoffs ended, to hopefully boost his velocity. He was already throwing at max effort by mid-December.
So far, it appears to be working.
“I’m so proud of him, the work that he’s put in,” Thomson said last week. “I mean, he looks better than he did the year he won 15 games (2023) at this point in time. Just physically, his movements, athleticism. The ball’s coming out hot and the splitter’s fantastic. He’s landing his breaking ball. He was good that year in spring training but I think he’s better this year.”
Walker’s competition for the final spot on the Phillies’ season-opening pitching staff includes Max Lazar and non-roster invitees like offspeed-based Nabil Crismatt, sidearmer Jose Cuas, hard-throwing John McMillon and Japanese right-hander Koyo Aoyagi, to name a few.
There’s also always the possibility of a spring trade. If another team needs a starting pitcher, thinks enough of what it sees from Walker this month and is willing to pay down a small portion of his remaining contract, that might be enough to entice the Phillies.
Spring training doesn’t matter for many players but Walker is not one of them.
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