Diamondbacks hit three homers off of Taijuan Walker, sink Phillies in series opener

Taijuan Walker gave up three home runs in a game for the second time in 73 starts Friday night. His fastball topped out at only 91.7 mph and averaged 90.5. Through 10 starts, his ERA is 5.60.

So, yes, Rob Thomson has a few questions.

“I’ll probably sit down with him tomorrow,” Thomson said after Walker dropped the Phillies down a four-run hole en route to a 5-4 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, their personal tormentors, “just to make sure he’s healthy.”

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For what it’s worth, Walker was able to answer that right after the game.

“I feel healthy,” he said, adding a few minutes later, “I feel 100% fine.”

Physically, that is. But Walker conceded that he has been unable to find his splitter, his best pitch over the last few seasons. Without it, and given the diminished velocity on his fastball since a shoulder injury in spring training, he lacks the weaponry to be consistently effective.

And while poor performance from a No. 5 starter qualifies as a regular-season problem for a team that is eyeing a lengthy October run after rolling to a historically strong start, it’s worth noting that the Phillies are 12-12 since May 24 and have had a 10-game NL East lead chopped to six by the surging Braves.

If goosebumps can form in 93-degree heat, many among the 44,436 paying customers at sold-out Citizens Bank Park felt that sensation during a pregame retirement ceremony for Cole Hamels. But by the third inning, they were booing Walker and chanting for Spencer Turnbull to take his place again in the rotation, calls that grew louder after Turnbull delivered three scoreless innings to enable the Phillies to climb within one run twice.

Would Thomson consider making a change?

“Even if i did, I wouldn’t tell you,” he said. “That’s an inside-the-clubhouse conversation.”

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Walker allowed a solo homer to Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (on a splitter) in the second inning before Gabriel Moreno and Joc Pederson took him deep (on a sinker and curveball, respectively) in the third.

“It just seemed like everything was hanging,” Thomson said. “He was getting behind in the count, and then having to come after people. Everything was up in the zone and hittable.”

Trademarks, perhaps, of an injured pitcher?

“Well, that’s why I want to ask the question, you know?” Thomson said. “Because it looks like he’s trying to create [velocity], and that’s why he gets the misfires. I just want to make sure he’s healthy.”

Never mind the lagging velocity, according to Walker. The big problem stems from his splitter. When it’s effective, he throws it one-third of the time and gets weak contact and ground balls. When he lacks a feel for the splitter, it’s almost like he’s pitching naked.

And he threw only nine splitters out of 77 pitches against Arizona.

“If the splitter’s there, then I feel like the velocity doesn’t play that big of a part in it,” Walker said. “It’s frustrating. I feel like I have the same grip, feel like I’m doing the same thing. It might just be a little tweak.

“Busting my butt, you know? But I know I’ve got to clean my [stuff] up.”

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Trea Turner and Nick Castellanos homered to help cut the margin to 4-3 in the seventh and 5-4 in the eighth.

Heck, the game was on Bryce Harper’s bat in the seventh inning. But with the bases loaded, one out, and the Diamondbacks clinging to a one-run lead, Harper chopped into a double play — pitcher, to catcher, to first base.

Easy as 1-2-3 for the Diamondbacks, who marched into South Philly and won again, just like Game 6 and 7 of last year’s NL Championship Series.

The loss also amplified the Phillies’ need for another right-handed hitter. Righties were hitting .328 with a .924 OPS against Diamondbacks starter Jordan Montgomery entering Friday’s game, so the Phillies stacked the lineup with right-handed hitters, including Cristian Pache in center field and Whit Merrifield in left.

It didn’t pan out.

After Edmundo Sosa’s two-out double in the second inning, Merrifield grounded out. When the Phillies threatened with two on and one out in the fourth, Merrifield flew to left field and Pache struck out looking on a changeup.

It was a snapshot of a larger problem. Thomson doesn’t trust Brandon Marsh against lefties, so in the aftermath of Johan Rojas’ demotion to triple A, the Phillies are running a platoon in both left field and center. And from the right side, Merrifield is batting .187 with a .563 OPS and Pache is at .206 and .592.

Opponents have noticed. Entering the game, the Phillies were leading the majors with 1,157 plate appearances against lefty starters and ranked 11th with a .726 OPS. They’re set up to face another lefty Saturday, and righties have walloped Arizona’s Tommy Henry, too. But his splits are more even than Montgomery’s.

Will Thomson stick with the platoons?

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Longer-term, the Phillies face a larger question. Because unless Castellanos gets on one of the torrid streaks that have eluded him this season, or Marsh suddenly starts hitting lefties, or Rojas delivers more offense whenever he returns from triple A, a righty-hitting outfield will become the most pressing trade-deadline need.

Put a pin in that. The deadline is still five weeks away.

Besides, the Phillies suddenly have a dwindling division lead and a looming conversation with their embattled No. 5 starter.

“It looks like he’s just trying to throw as hard as he can instead of staying within himself,” Thomson said, “and focusing on command and control as opposed to the velocity. That’s just what I’m sensing.”

Maybe some answers will follow soon.