Taijuan Walker lasts less than an inning on a day Phillies needed his arm
By Phil Sheridan
Baseball teams on losing streaks beg for an ace starting pitcher to get them out of it. Take the mound, restore order, and let the offense do its thing without pressure.
Whatever his salary says, Taijuan Walker was not an ace for the Phillies Wednesday — more of a joker. The $72-million right-hander got exactly two outs in his start against the San Francisco Giants. Walker gave up four runs on four hits and two walks before being mercy-yanked by manager Rob Thomson.
Walker had already thrown 40 pitches and had given up base hits to the last three batters he faced when the manager left the dugout. It was quite a display.
He was a little erratic, Thomson said. It all started with a runner on and two out, so it was a little strange. I didnt take him out because he was pitching poorly, necessarily. It was just pitch count. He was at 40 pitches, and really, 35 is sort of my max for an inning. I just want to keep him healthy.
After Bailey Falters similar implosion Monday, the left-hander was sent down to Triple-A. That is not really an alternative for a man with Walkers contract. Besides, Walker had pitched better in his previous couple of outings, showing signs he was over his early-season struggles.
Then this.
Walkers contribution left the Phillies in a 4-0 hole and needing 25 outs to get through the game. Maybe the craziest thing is they almost pulled it off.
Left-hander Matt Strahm, who had the lowest earned run average among Phillies starters and was rewarded with a ticket back to the bullpen, did what Walker could not. He pounded the strike zone, getting a grounder back to the mound to end the first inning and striking out four to get the Phillies through three innings.
Strahm was the first of five Phillies relief pitchers to close down the Giants. Unfortunately, they needed a sixth. But that return to order provided by the bullpen enabled the Phillies tepid offense to chip away at the early lead and tie the game.
Bryce Harper got the Phils moving in the fourth inning, stroking a one-out single to right field. Nick Castellanos followed with a base hit to left, then Kyle Schwarber drew a walk to load the bases for catcher J.T. Realmuto.
Runners in scoring position! What to do?!?! Realmuto knew, and he hit a two-run single down the left field line. After Giants starter Ross Stripling, from Blue Bell, Pa., left the game with a sore lower back, Alec Bohm scored Schwarber with a sacrifice fly to deep right to cap the rally.
Bryston Stott crushed a solo home run to right field off Giants left-hander Sean Manaea. That tied the game and gave the Phillies four innings to find a way to escape with a victory.
Gregory Soto, the Phillies seventh pitcher of the game, came on to pitch the bottom of the eighth. Giants manager Gabe Kapler sent pinch-hitter J.D. Davis to the plate. Davis lined Sotos first pitch into right field. Pinch-hitter Mitch Haniger singled to center. Catcher Joey Bart dropped a bunt and then beat it out for a base hit that loaded the bases with nobody out.
Thairo Estrada singled to center to give the Giants a 5-4 lead. With one out, Wilmer Flores hit the first pitch he saw from Soto into left field for a two-run single.
And that was that. The Phillies had the bases loaded in the top of the ninth, but Trea Turner struck out to end the threat, the game, the series and the road trip.
