Phillies May Cut Ties With Taijuan Walker After Adding Jesús Luzardo…
The Philadelphia Phillies entered 2024 with championship ambitions, but those hopes were dashed when they were eliminated in the NLDS by the New York Mets. With 2025 on the horizon, the team is expected to make significant roster changes, and one of those may involve parting ways with starting pitcher Taijuan Walker.
President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski took steps to bolster the pitching rotation by acquiring left-hander Jesús Luzardo from the Miami Marlins. Luzardo will join a rotation already anchored by Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez, and Cristopher Sánchez, according to FanGraphs’ Roster Resource. This acquisition could leave Walker as the odd man out.
Mark Powell of FanSided predicts that the 32-year-old Walker will be among three Phillies not returning in 2025. “Dombrowski claimed he would give Walker a chance to earn a rotation spot in spring training – or some role on the team, even if it’s in long relief – but it’s tougher to see that happening after they added Luzardo,” Powell noted. “Andrew Painter is expected to be healthy and could make his big-league debut this season. Walker doesn’t fit into the Phillies’ long-term plans, making a fresh start with another team more likely.”
Walker signed a four-year, $72 million deal before the 2023 season but has struggled to live up to expectations. Over two seasons with the Phillies, he has posted a 5.27 ERA, including a 7.10 ERA through 83 2/3 innings in 2024. With $18 million owed to him annually in 2025 and 2026, according to Spotrac, Walker’s future in Philadelphia appears increasingly uncertain.
