Is Moving Thriving Starter to Bullpen a Clear Indication of of Phillies' Talent?

A recent move by the Philadelphia Phillies in the starting rotation shows how good they are.

May 7, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Taijuan Walker (99) throws a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays in the eighth inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies are off to a strong start to the season, but there have been some ups and downs along the way.

It is very rare that a team goes from April to October without running into any roadblocks and the Phillies hit a little one a couple weeks ago that raised some concerns about the outlook of the franchise.

Unfortunately, some of the problems that plagued them in the postseason last year are still issues now, and will likely have to be addressed at some point before the trade deadline.

However, despite some issues, Philadelphia is right behind the New York Mets for first place in the NL East, and things are trending in the right direction.

Are the Philadelphia Phillies Actually an Elite Squad?

Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) recently wrote about some of the inconsistencies of the Phillies, but the fact that they are still one of the best teams in the National League.

“There are some inconsistencies with this team — Jordan Romano lost the closer job, and there’s room for the offense to be more consistent — but the fact that Walker is now in the bullpen is a sign of first-world problems in Philly.”

One of the major positives for Philadelphia is that they have been able to stay very healthy so far this campaign. Sometimes the best ability is availability, and the Phillies have had their top players on the field for the most part.

Recently, with Ranger Suarez coming back and making his season debut, he pushed former All-Star starter Taijuan Walker to the bullpen.

Even though the team had essentially given up on Walker after a dreadful season in 2024, he has bounced back nicely and been a positive contributor in the rotation.

While another opportunity might arise for him to get back to starting games, for now he will be trying to help solidify a bullpen that has been inconsistent.

The addition of Jordan Romano this winter has been a failure thus far, with the former All-Star closer already losing his job after a slow start.

While Walker isn’t slated to be in that type of role, he could be used in a multi-inning scenario to finish off games.

There aren’t too many teams in baseball that would have the luxury of moving a starter who had an ERA lower than 2.50 in six starts to the bullpen for a retuning player, but the rotation for the Phillies is arguably the best in the league.

Even though they might not be perfect, a move like that is a clear indication that Philadelphia is a contender in the NL.

feed