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PHILADELPHIA -- Taijuan Walker believes he can still be a viable starter in the Major Leagues.
The Phillies, though, believe he could potentially help their beleaguered bullpen.
That’s why they made the decision this week to permanently move Walker to the ‘pen despite the fact he’s in the third year of a four-year, $72 million contract. The first two-plus years of that deal have not gone as planned, but Walker could make all of that an afterthought if he’s able to thrive in a relief role for a team desperate for more leverage arms.
“I'm sure he's not 100% happy; I think he still thinks of himself as a starter,” manager Rob Thomson said. “But he's a pro -- and I think he's a guy who will do anything to help the team.”
If Walker needs a blueprint for making the move, all he has to do is take a look in the opposing bullpen this week at Rogers Centre. Former teammate Jeff Hoffman made a similar transition in 2022, and it revitalized his big league career.
Hoffman was taken with the ninth overall pick by the Blue Jays in the 2014 Draft. The following year, he was such a coveted young arm that he was a key part of a package Toronto sent to Colorado in a blockbuster trade that landed superstar Troy Tulowitzki and LaTroy Hawkins.
Hoffman made his MLB debut in 2016, going 0-4 with a 4.88 ERA over eight games (six starts). He bounced back and forth between the Minors and Majors over the next handful of years, but never truly found his footing as a big league starter.
All told, Hoffman is just 11-20 with a 5.64 ERA in 50 career starts.
Still, the Reds worked out a trade to acquire Hoffman following the 2020 campaign, and they slotted him into their rotation to start the ’21 season. But the righty again struggled, posting a 5.20 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP through 11 starts. He had 39 K’s and 30 walks.
Cincinnati moved him to the bullpen, where he had a 3.54 ERA in 20 appearances. He put up a 3.83 ERA the following year heading into free agency. Hoffman signed with the Twins in the early days of Spring Training in 2023, but he was released by Minnesota just days before Opening Day.
Hoffman then signed with the Phillies three days later and was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He didn’t put up great numbers out of the gate – he had a 7.00 ERA in nine innings – with the IronPigs, but he made the most of an incredibly unusual opportunity.
With Bryce Harper rehabbing from Tommy John surgery at the time, Hoffman was brought to Citizens Bank Park strictly to pitch live batting practice to Harper. Hoffman impressed both Harper and Phillies brass enough to eventually earn a callup a month later.
The rest is history. Hoffman pitched to a 2.41 ERA over 54 relief appearances in 2023, then was even better in '24, posting a 2.17 ERA over 68 appearances and earning his first career All-Star selection.
The Phillies are hoping Walker can follow a similar path. Both Walker and Thomson have said on multiple occasions that they believe his stuff can play up significantly in a one-inning stint.
Thomson is also hoping Walker embraces the new role as an opportunity.
“Maybe a little motivation,” Thomson said. “Look at Hoffy -- it changed his whole life, becoming a reliever and having the success he's had. It's probably lengthened his career out. A lot of good things can happen from it.”
While Thomson plans to use Walker in a traditional one-inning role to see what he can do, the skipper said he won’t use Walker on back-to-back days right away. Walker will get at least one day -- and probably multiple days at first -- between appearances until he tells Thomson his arm is ready to handle back-to-backs.
Walker may still view himself as a starter, but he’s proven he’s not the type to put himself above the team. Just look at the past two postseasons, when Walker -- despite not throwing a single pitch -- was still in his usual spot on the top step of the dugout every night to support the team.
“My goal is to help any way I can,” Walker said after his last start.