Phillies’ Taijuan Walker issues demand after Philadelphia’s 4th loss in a row.
Walker wants the Phillies to snap out of their funk as the team has the second-worst record in baseball since the All-Star break.
The Philadelphia Phillies were the hottest team in baseball over the first half of the season. The Phillies sent three offensive starters to the All-Star game for the first time in 42 years. In all, the team had an MLB-best eight players in the 2024 Midsummer Classic. However, since returning from the All-Star break, the Phillies have struggled.
Starting pitcher Taijuan Walker recognized the reality of the team’s situation. “We built ourselves a pretty good cushion, but we definitely do need to start playing better baseball,” Walker said per Tim Kelly of Phillies Nation on X.
That cushion has kept Philadelphia atop the NL East with a 6.5 game lead over the second-place Atlanta Braves despite having the second-worst record in baseball since the All-Star break. The Phillies entered play on Tuesday just 7-15 with only the miserable Chicago White Sox putting up a worse record in that span (2-20). Fortunately for Philadelphia, the Braves have also struggled, going 9-14 since the Midsummer Classic.
Walker returned to the Phillies after landing on the 15-day injured list with a right index finger ailment. He got the start for Philadelphia against the Miami Marlins on Tuesday – the pitcher’s 32nd birthday. But the Marlins ruined the day for Walker and the Phillies, winning 5-0 and handing Philadelphia its 16th loss since the All-Star break.
Walker gave up four hits and three earned runs in four innings. He walked three batters and struck out five. The Phillies’ bullpen surrendered two more runs over the next five innings but the team could only muster four hits and was held without a run.
The Phillies’ Taijuan Walker wants the team to “Start playing better baseball”
Jun 21, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Taijuan Walker (99) looks on after allowing three runs against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the third inning at Citizens Bank Park.
Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports
“We’re in a little bit of a funk and it’s the whole team … As a team we’re just not all on the same page,” Walker said per Kelly. The loss was the fourth straight for the Phillies who fell to 69-50 on the year.
The Phillies offense has fallen off since the All-Star game. The team entered the break top six in batting average, home runs, runs, on-base percentage and OPS. Since returning, the team is 16th in batting average, 20th in home runs, 19th in runs, 17th in on-base percentage and 13th in OPS.
