Phillies

After Giving Up Six Earned Runs on 13 Hits, Taijuan Walker Feels Like He Took a Step in the Right Direction

By Kevin Kinkead

Published: Aug 29th, 2024 · 9:39 AM EDT

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Taijuan Walker after Wednesday’s 10-0 loss to the Astros:

Phillies starting pitcher Taijuan Walker recognizes the results aren’t there.

He also felt that his outing against the Astros was a step in the right direction considering the ground balls and weaker contact he got. @KYWNewsradio pic.twitter.com/HLsqDjyzeS

— Dave Uram (@MrUram) August 28, 2024

“Doesn’t really look like it today but I thought as many ground ball outs as I got today, and weaker contact I thought it was a step in the right direction. A lot of ground balls…” 

Walker pitched six innings, gave up six earned runs on 13 hits, and struck out zero batters. His ERA is 6.50.

Credit to the guy for going up there after the game and facing the music and speaking to reporters. Dunno what he’s supposed to say at this point, but I’d advise against using the phrase “step in the right direction,” especially since his starts have gotten progressively worse through the summer. In August alone, four starts, he’s conceded 18 earned runs on 29 hits over 17 and two-thirds innings. He has a 9.17 ERA this month and while wins and losses aren’t necessarily the be-all, end-all of pitcher stats, he’s taken 9 Ls in a row. The Phillies can’t run him back out there. They know it, we know it, and Taijuan Walker knows it, it’s just a matter of someone finally being the adult in the room and making the decision. Sucks, but that’s where we’re at right now.

And there seems to be a mixed bag of takeaways from the game itself. Some people think you blew the momentum going into the Braves series, taking a 10-0 loss in which you were almost no-hit. Others are taking the approach of, “well now the best arms are available and Walker doesn’t have to pitch against Atlanta.” I guess both things can be true on paper. We’ll see what happens on the field.