Taijuan Walker sends strong message after bullpen debut with the Phillies

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.”

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.”