What's the plan for Walker after move to bullpen?

This story was excerpted from Todd Zolecki’s Phillies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Taijuan Walker's demotion to the bullpen on Thursday did not take him by surprise. He has played baseball for too long for that.

“Obviously, I haven’t been pitching well,” Walker said on Friday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. “I haven’t been doing my job. We’re getting to the last month of the season. These games matter -- every single game we play. I’m not surprised at all. I’ve just got to do a better job.”

Walker will be the Phillies’ long man for the final month of the season. He is not expected to pitch in high-leverage situations.

He might not pitch in the postseason, either.

If Walker doesn't appear in any postseason games, this will be the second consecutive postseason he doesn't pitch for the Phillies despite signing a four-year, $72 million contract in December 2022.

“Well, I mean, I guess it’s up to me,” Walker said. “I have to show them that I can come out of the bullpen and be effective. I’m going to work really hard to do that. I want to be a part of it. It sucks not being a part of it and not helping the team. Anything I can do to help the team, whether it’s one inning, two innings, whatever they need, I’m going to go out there, do the best I can and try to be a part of it.”

Walker’s future with the organization is murky. He could be designated for assignment in the offseason, although Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Thursday that the club thinks Walker can get back to a starting role next year if he benefits from an offseason training program to maximize his velocity.

Walker said both parties haven’t dug into those possibilities yet.

“Obviously, we’re still trying to focus on this year,” he said.

Walker participated in an abbreviated version of a velocity training program this summer while he was on the injured list with right index finger inflammation.

“We did it so quickly,” Walker said. “We did it for a month. You know, I thought it helped my splitter tick up a little bit -- that was a plus. But having a whole offseason of doing the program, I think it should help out.”

Walker has a 3-6 record with a 6.50 ERA in 14 starts this season, including an 0-3 record with a 9.17 ERA in four starts since he returned from the injured list on Aug. 13.

The Phillies have lost each of his last nine starts.

“I’m getting another chance,” Walker said. “Obviously, me being in the rotation didn’t work out this year. I’m not saying that it still won’t. But right now I need to focus on the bullpen.”