Taijuan Walker Stats
- Height / Weight
- 6' 4" / 235 lbs.
- Date of Birth (Age)
- 8/13/1992 (31)
- Experience
- 11
- College
- None
Taijuan Walker Season Stats
Last 10 Games
Taijuan Walker News
Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker (shoulder) is opening the season on the 15-day injured list with an impingement in his right shoulder. Walker doesn't need an injection or an MRI exam, though, and is hoping he doesn't have to miss much time. The 31-year-old felt discomfort while throwing a bullpen session last weekend and has been shut down since. With Walker starting the year on the shelf, it has opened up a starting rotation spot for Spencer Turnbull in Philly. Walker, the former 43rd overall pick in 2010 by the Seattle Mariners, went 15-6 last year in his first season with the Phils and had a 4.38 ERA and 1.31 WHIP with 71 walks and 138 strikeouts in 172 2/3 innings over 31 starts. He was fortunate to have those numbers, though, with below-average walk and strikeout rates.
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Taijuan Walker was getting loose for a bullpen session on Saturday and stated that his shoulder "didn't feel right." The Phillies sent him for an MRI, the results of which should be known Sunday. Walker had already battled some right knee soreness this spring and had only made two spring appearances thus far. Last time out, the veteran was tagged for seven earned runs on five hits (three home runs) and three walks while striking out just one batter over two and two-thirds IP. The injury doesn't sound promising for his already bleak outlook. Right-handed 31-year-old Spencer Turnbull would take his spot in the rotation were he placed on the IL.
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitching Taijuan Walker (knee) will make his spring debut on Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays. Walker missed time this spring for personal reasons and because of right knee soreness. He recently threw a bullpen session and felt good afterward. "He feels so good that we're just going to put him in the game," said Phillies manager Rob Thomson. The 31-year-old has enough time to ramp up his activity and should be ready by Opening Day. He will look to improve upon his 2023 season, in which he posted a 4.38 ERA and 1.31 WHIP in 31 starts with an 18.8% K% over 172 2/3 innings. His K% dropped from 20.3% in 2022 to 18.3% in 2023. Walker has an NFBC ADP of 504 and is mainly an option in deep-league formats heading into 2024 fantasy drafts.
Batting Order
1 | Kyle Schwarber |
2 | Trea Turner |
3 | Bryce Harper |
4 | J.T. Realmuto |
5 | Alec Bohm |
6 | Bryson Stott |
7 | Nick Castellanos |
8 | Whit Merrifield |
9 | Brandon Marsh |
Taijuan Walker Stats
Last 10 Games
Batting Order
1 | Kyle Schwarber |
2 | Trea Turner |
3 | Bryce Harper |
4 | J.T. Realmuto |
5 | Alec Bohm |
6 | Bryson Stott |
7 | Nick Castellanos |
8 | Whit Merrifield |
9 | Brandon Marsh |
After posting a fine 2.70 ERA in 11 starts during the shortened 2020 season with the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners after returning from Tommy John surgery the previous year, right-hander Taijuan Walker signed a two-year, $20 million deal to join the New York Mets rotation. Finally healthy again, he struck out 50 hitters in 53 1/3 innings. The former first-rounder in 2010 had a 3.84 career ERA in eight years in Seattle, Arizona and Toronto, but injuries have been an issue and the closest he's come to a full season was in 2015 when he started 29 games over 169 2/3 frames. Don't let his 2.70 ERA from 2020 fool you, though, as he had a 4.56 FIP and an 8.4 percent walk rate. Walker was also fortunate to have a .243 BABIP against, which led to a .213 opponent's average. The 28-year-old relied less on his four-seam fastball (50.3 percent) and more on his slider (21.6 percent), but Walker will need to show better command of his secondary pitches to be anything more than rotation depth in deep mixed leagues in 2021.