Could Phillies New Bullpen Weapon Help Strengthen Unit Moving Forward?

The Philadelphia Phillies are off to a strong start to the season with a talented starting rotation leading the way.

Coming into the year, it was the rotation that was expected to be the strength of the team. So far, that has proven to be true. The Phillies have a couple of starting pitchers who are early contenders to be the National League Cy Young, and the unit has been thriving for the most part.

There is no such thing as too much pitching in baseball, and Philadelphia might have the luxury of going to a six-man rotation soon if they choose.

Recently, Ranger Suarez returned from the injured list, pushing Taijuan Walker to the bullpen in the traditional five-man rotation.

This offseason, the Phillies replaced the former All-Star in the rotation with a trade for Jesus Luzardo.

In 2024, Walker was one of the worst pitchers in baseball. He totaled a 3-7 record and 7.10 ERA.

Philadelphia knew they couldn’t count on him to be in the rotation going into the year, but he has bounced back nicely in 2025 and has been a solid contributor. The right-hander filled in very well for Suarez while he was out, posting an ERA below 3.00.

Can the Philadelphia Phillies Finally Count on Taijuan Walker?

In his first appearance out of the bullpen, Walker was able to record the first save of his career in three innings of shutout baseball.

Due to the bullpen being a weakness for the team, using a pitcher with the ability of Walker this year will make the unit stronger.

While he likely won’t just be a one-inning pitcher out of the bullpen, he can be used to finish off games in multi-inning scenarios.

Furthermore, while the right-hander is pitching well and might move into a swingman role, Philadelphia also has its top prospect, Andrew Painter, on the verge of coming up to the Majors soon.

When that happens, as long as everyone is healthy, Walker will likely continue in a bullpen role at that time. As one of the best pitching prospects in baseball, Painter will surely be just a starter when he is called up.

Overall, it has been great to see the bounce back from the former All-Star in 2025. With another season left on his contract after this campaign, it’s important that he can be a useful player for the team.

Furthermore, despite being a starter for many years, he looked great coming out of the bullpen the other night.