It’s only the first week of the season, but the Philadelphia Phillies already have a lot of good problems on their hands. Philadelphia stormed out of the gate, winning five of their first six games and finishing a sweep against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday afternoon but it was a surprising veteran who helped lead the way.
Phillies starter Taijuan Walker was coming off a tough season, going 3-7 with a 7.10 ERA in 2024. A long winter wasn’t enough to make Philadelphia fans forget about that performance as Walker was booed in the season opener against the Washington Nationals and during Monday’s home opener. But Walker has responded, turning a strong Spring Training into a successful season debut with six scoreless innings in the Phillies 3-1 win over the Rockies on Thursday.
With that, Walker may have shifted the attention to other fringe players on the roster who could be in line for a demotion if the Phillies want to keep him around – especially when Ranger Suárez returns from a back injury. It’s put a recent addition on thin ice and could lead to a quick departure if he’s unable to turn things around.
Phillies Reliever Carlos Hernández on Thin Ice After Taijuan Walker’s Fast Start
Carlos Hernández hasn’t been in Philadelphia long, but he could already be on the hot seat after his early performance. Philadelphia claimed the 28-year-old on waivers hoping he could fill a long relief role but it hasn’t panned out after a tough outing in his first appearance.
Hernández came out of the bullpen for his Phillies debut against the Nationals on March 29 and it did not go well. The right-hander allowed a pair of runs on a home run by Nathaniel Lowe and walked a batter while working the eighth inning and it was a continuation of his struggles dating back to Spring Training, where he allowed eight runs in 10.1 innings of work.
Based on his short Phillies resume, you may be wondering why the Phillies took a chance on Hernández. His average fastball velocity of 97.9 mph was in the 97th percentile last season according to Baseball Savant and using him out of the bullpen may have been a way to bump that number. But that pitch has also been hittable as Hernández allowed an average exit velocity of 97.2 mph in his first appearance of the season.
The results were much different for Walker. A weighted ball program in the offseason increased his average fastball velocity from 91.3 mph last season to 92.8 mph in his season debut and he had a strong Spring Training before getting rocked in his final two starts. But he was able to rebound on Thursday, allowing just three hits and a walk with four strikeouts for a solid start to the year.
It sets up a showdown where one pitcher leaves town. Both players are out of minor league options but the incumbent has the edge thanks to a four-year, $72 million contract that has two years remaining. The good news is that the Phillies have some time to make a decision as Suárez is eligible to return as soon as April 8 but will need a minor-league rehab assignment before joining the rotation.
It gives time for Walker and Hernández to provide some more data points and force Philadelphia to make a key decision at the end of the month.