When the Phillies let Zach Eflin hit free agency this off-season, team president Dave Dombrowski knew they would be looking for a starting pitcher to replace him for 2023.
At the upper echelon of the free agent market were Jacob deGrom, Carlos Rodon and Justin Verlander. None were ever a realistic option for the Phillies, and neither was Japanese import Kodai Senga. But there was a vast middle tier of starters amongst whom Taijuan Walker existed.
When the Phils signed Walker to a four-year, $72 million deal, it was with the understanding he’d be the team’s fourth starter, a reasonable expectation for a 30-year-old, 10-year veteran who made 29 starts for the Mets in 2022 and posted a 3.