The Phillies are moving struggling starter Taijuan Walker to the bullpen, Rob Thomson announced prior to Thursday’s game against the Atlanta Braves.
Walker was seen throwing in the outfield before batting practice on Thursday. The Phillies would like his first outing out of the bullpen to be a low leverage, one inning appearance. Then, the Phillies hope to build him up as a long reliever.
“I’m hoping the stuff will tick up, the velocity will tick up,” Thomson said on Thursday. “He’ll just get out there and power the ball through the zone.”
As for who will take his spot in the rotation, Thomson declined to reveal who it is because the player has not been informed.