Taijuan Walker finally made his debut out of the bullpen, helping the Philadelphia Phillies close out a game against the Rays that was already well in hand — but still served as proof that his arm has real potential in a relief role.
“I just felt good, I knew I had at the most three innings so I just went out there and attacked,” Walker said after the game vs Rays. “I was a little more aggressive than usual. I felt like I could empty the tank out knowing that it was three innings max. I just let it rip and threw all my pitches.”
It marked the beginning of what could be a temporary new chapter for Walker coming out of the ‘pen. In his three innings, he struck out seven batters and allowed just one hit. He finished the outing with a 2.30 ERA — a promising sign for a Phillies team that’s been rolling in recent series.
Walker makes it clear: he’s still a starter
Despite the strong performance, Walker was quick to remind everyone that he sees himself as a MLB starting pitcher. That said, he made it clear he’s willing to adapt and do whatever’s needed to help the team win.
“I mean, it’s something I feel like you have to work toward,” Walker said. “I do see myself as a starter still, but at the end of the day, whatever I can do to help the team win, whether it’s three innings, four innings, early in the game or late in the game. I’m always ready to pitch.”
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Thomson praises Walker’s outing
Phillies manager Rob Thomson had nothing but praise for Walker’s relief debut, calling it impressive — and even hinting at the possibility of using a six-man rotation in the future.
“Now you start thinking about different things, you know? But you still want to keep his pitch count up because we might go to a six-man rotation at some point. But, jeez, that looks pretty good for one inning, too. If that guy can dial it up for an inning or two, that’s really something.”