Phillies Shift Taijuan Walker to Bullpen, Promote Mick Abel

The Philadelphia Phillies announced a significant roster adjustment on Sunday, moving Taijuan Walker from the starting rotation to the bullpen. This decision comes ahead of their series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers, which ended in a 5-2 loss for the Phillies. Right-handed reliever Seth Johnson has been recalled to fill the gap left by Walker.

Mick Abel, a promising young pitcher, will step into Walker's starting role on Thursday when the team faces off against Toronto. To accommodate Johnson's return, reliever José Ruiz has been designated for assignment.

Manager Rob Thomson confirmed that Walker, who has spent 13 years primarily as a starter, will now serve in a bullpen capacity. "I think Tai's got a chance to make us a lot better coming out of the 'pen," Thomson stated, highlighting the team's confidence in Walker's potential impact in shorter outings.

This season, Walker has made 10 appearances, including eight starts and two long relief outings, posting a record of 2-4 with a 3.53 ERA over 43 1/3 innings. He is currently in the third year of a four-year contract worth $72 million. Thomson indicated that Walker will be utilized in one-inning roles moving forward.

Abel made his major league debut on May 18, impressively throwing six scoreless innings. The 23-year-old was selected as the 15th overall pick in the 2020 amateur draft and is expected to bring fresh energy to the rotation.

Johnson, now 26, has transitioned from a starting role to relief pitching and holds a record of 2-2 with a 4.91 ERA and 42 strikeouts across 33 innings with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He made one appearance for the Phillies last season, where he struggled, allowing nine earned runs in just 2 1/3 innings against Miami on September 8.

Acquired from Baltimore on July 30, 2024, in exchange for Gregory Soto, Johnson is looking to make a more significant impact this time around. Meanwhile, Ruiz's performance this season has been underwhelming, with an 8.16 ERA over 14 1/3 innings, including a particularly rough outing where he allowed five runs in one inning during Saturday's loss to the Brewers. The 30-year-old right-hander had previously recorded a solid 5-1 record with a 3.71 ERA in 52 appearances in 2024.