The Philadelphia Phillies, who are dealing with a slew of difficulties, will be without standout pitcher Taijuan Walker in the upcoming games. He is being rested to regain his form.
Walker, 31, quickly signed a lucrative four-year, $72 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies after departing the New York Mets in 2022 and electing free agency.
Walker joined the Phillies after a remarkable two-season run with the Mets. He arrived the day after the Phillies signed shortstop Trea Turner to a spectacular 11-year, $300 million contract.
Walker, a renowned 2021 All-Star, will receive a total salary of $18 million in 2023 under his contract with the Phillies, according to an article on sportskeeda.com.
However, he is not in sparking form.
The 31-year-old pitcher Walker is once again in a mid-season slump, a pattern he is all too familiar with, as he navigates a predictable but dismal course. Walker, who has a tendency for good starts, had a commanding 2.55 Earned Run Average prior to the All-Star break in 2016. His ERA fell to 4.80 in the post-break period.
Walker is not known for his velocity. But his tempo has slowed down in recent games. In the 8-1 loss to the Minnesota Twins, he allowed three runs on three hits and six walks. Manager Rob Thomson thinks Walker needs rest to regain his form.