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The Philadelphia Phillies’ biggest roster change of the winter came as a pretty big surprise.
Despite owning one of baseball’s deepest and most impactful starting rotations, the front office opted to trade for Miami Marlins hurler Jesús Luzardo. This gave the team an even deeper staff and has shaped its identity to start the season.
As reigning All-Star starter Ranger Suárez returned from an injured list stint to make his season debut on Sunday, the Phillies had to decide whether to relegate a standing starter to the bullpen or go with a rare six-man rotation.
The team opted to move veteran Taijuan Walker to the relief corps. And now could he get the chance to close out games?
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The Phillies have had a hard time identifying a shutdown closer after losing Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estévez to new teams in free agency. The bullpen has one of the highest collective ERAs in all of baseball so far at a 4.71 mark.
In Walker’s first game as a member of that bullpen, it’s clear the Phillies would consider using him in a high-leverage situation after they asked him to warm up ahead of the 10th inning in Sunday’s heartbreaking loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“(Manager Rob) Thomson would point to Walker, available in an emergency only Sunday, heading to the bullpen in the ninth inning to prepare for a hasty appearance as proof that he’s willing to adapt,” Matt Gelb wrote for The Athletic.
Entering his third season of a four-year, $72 million contract with the Phillies, Walker has focused on rediscovering his velocity after a harsh 2024 campaign. That uptick could be critical as the Phillies seek some bullpen help.
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