Philadelphia Phillies Move Veteran Starter to Bullpen as All-Star Returns

The Philadelphia Phillies are moving this veteran to the bullpen in wake of their injured starter returning from the injured list.

May 1, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Taijuan Walker (99) throws a pitch during the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies have announced that they are moving veteran right-handed pitcher Taijuan Walker to the bullpen. The move comes as a result of the team recalling former All Star Ranger Suarez from the 15-day injured list.

Phillies skipper Rob Thomson confirmed the transition following his team's 7-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night. Suarez, who is slated to make his first start of the 2025 season on Sunday, will be taking over the spot that Walker had occupied thus far.

Per the Philadelphia Inquirer's Lochlahn March, Thomson went on to clarify that this doesn't mean that he is opposed to using a six man rotation at some point, but that he'd rather hold off on that decision until after the team's next off day

Taijuan Walker will officially be moving to the bullpen, Rob Thomson announced.

“That doesn't mean we're not going to go to a six man at some point. But I think we'll do a five man, at least till the next off day [after Monday].”

— Lochlahn March (@lochlahn) May 4, 2025

Walker had been holding down the fifth spot in Philadelphia's rotation while Suarez worked his way beck from injury, and was very solid across his six starts. In those six appearances, he racked up a 2.54 ERA to go along with a 1.341 WHIP.

Now he'll be asked to help bolster a Phillies' bullpen that has struggled so far this year while he waits to see if whether or not Thomson decides to move him back into the starting rotation. If the Phillies suffer an injury to the rotation, Walker could be the next man up.

It never hurts to have an experienced righty like Walker in the pen though, and Philadelphia needs all the help they can get in that department, so it will be interesting to see how Thomson decides utilize the right-hander moving forward.