Philadelphia Phillies welcome Taijuan Walker
While the Philadelphia Phillies went all the way to the World Series last year, they knew they needed to upgrade their pitching if they had any plans of being back there in 2023. On Friday, they confirmed that is exactly what they have done by introducing free agent acquisition Taijuan Walker to members of the media at Citizens Bank Park. The 30-year-old signed a four-year deal worth a total of $72 million to pitch in Philadelphia.
“When you’re trying to win a championship, you need quality starting pitching, as we know,” Phillies’ president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said on Friday, via MLB.com. “Normally, it’s five — you’re really looking for five quality starters. We’re just in a situation where we’re unique [and] we have some really good young pitchers who are coming. … All of a sudden, we’re in a spot where you can throw out, on an everyday basis, a Wheeler or a Nola or a Walker or a Suárez and then one of those youngsters.”
Walker was an All-Star in 2021 for the first time in his career with the New York Mets and will undoubtably help provide even more depth to the Phillies’ starting rotation. He wasn’t the only big splash the Phillies made this offseason either, as they also inked shortstop Trea Turner which has Walker excited.
“Just to be added with Nola and Wheeler and Suárez, in that rotation, and I really liked the lineup, one through nine can do damage,” Walker said. “I was just really excited about all of that. They were in the World Series last year. Just ready to win. Getting Trea Turner was huge. It was just all exciting things for me.”
Walker originally began his career in Seattle with the Mariners selecting him 43rd overall in the 2010 MLB draft. He was traded to the Arizona Cardinals ahead of the 2017 campaign before being traded back to the Mariners in February, 2020. He was eventually traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in the middle of the season before signing with the New York Mets where he spent the last two seasons. He finished with a respectable 12-5 record and 3.49 ERA last season.
A big reason for his success last season was the introduction of a new grip on his splitter, which he was happy to speak to the media about on Friday.
“I had gotten in some jams and I was getting beat by my fastball — and I realized how good my splitter was,” said Walker. “From that day forward, I was just telling myself, ‘OK, if I’m going to get beat, I’m going to get beat by my best pitch.’ And that’s the splitter.”
To make room for Walker on the 40-man roster, the Phillies designated right-hander Tayler Scott for assignment. The Phillies had claimed him off waivers in September as they hoped he would be able to help provide them with some depth for the postseason.
