Phillies in motion to welcome Taijuan Walker back ahead of San Diego series

Taijuan Walker will make at least one more rehab start with triple-A Lehigh Valley before rejoining the Phillies’ rotation, manager Rob Thomson announced on Friday. Walker has been recovering from right shoulder soreness and has already made two rehab starts. He will pitch in Scranton on Sunday.

Walker threw a bullpen session on Friday afternoon with simulated hitters standing in. He and Thomson said that it went “great” but that they’d like to have him build to about 95 pitches so he can get to a full pitch count when he returns.

Thomson said he didn’t know that Walker’s velocity topped out at 92.2 mph and averaged 87.2 mph among his six pitches. His sinker averaged 90.7 mph. Walker and Thomson have expressed optimism that the velocity will return to the 93-94 mph range when Walker gets back in a big league ballpark, but even if it doesn’t, he plans to focus more on pitching rather than throwing.

“You just have to learn how to pitch,” Walker said. “There’s been so many great pitchers who have lost their velocity, but then they learn how to pitch, [and] they add a new pitch, you know. So now it’s about locating and keeping them off balance and mixing pitches.”

Walker cited C.C. Sabathia as an example of this.

“I’ve talked to C.C. [a few years ago], he threw a lot of cutters,” Walker said. “I think that was his next pitch when he lost his velocity. Really just mixing pitches, you know, you see guys throwing 100-102 and they get shelled. And you see guys throwing 90 or 88 and they get outs. So it’s all about getting outs and mixing pitches and keeping them off balance.”

Assuming that Walker emerges from his start on Sunday healthy and ready to go, he could pitch as soon as next Sunday in San Diego. Spencer Turnbull has filled Walker’s place in the rotation to start the season. He pitched on Friday night against the White Sox and took a no-hitter into the seventh inning. He now has a 1.23 ERA over his four starts with 22 strikeouts and 7 walks.

Thomson said before the game that Turnbull’s performance in that outing wouldn’t determine what the Phillies do moving forward. He declined to specify what the Phillies’ plans with Turnbull would be, but the manager did say that the team would like him to stay loose and that he could get regular work out the bullpen. Those outings wouldn’t likely be five innings, but Turnbull could have a long-man role, which was what the Phillies originally intended.

“I mean he might not get many opportunities to go five, six innings, but as the season goes on and your top leverage guys are down for a day for whatever reason, maybe he slides into that spot,” Thomson said before the game. “So, he’ll get work.”

After the game, when Thomson was asked if it was clear-cut that Turnbull is moving to the bullpen when Walker returns, Thomson said, “No, it’s not clear cut.”

Another option is for Turnbull to piggyback with someone, or for the Phillies to move to a six-man rotation, though a move like that is unlikely anytime soon. Walker said he understands how well the rotation has been pitching — they’ve combined for a National League-best 2.54 ERA this season — and wants to contribute to that.

“Top four? Top five,” Walker said. “That’s the hard part, too. I have to make sure that I’m ready to come back and help them out. Everyone is pitching so well right now, and everyone is doing their job. So I just got to make sure I’m ready to join them and help out.”

Turnbull is aware that he is making this a tough decision for the front office. He said on Friday night that he understands the team’s precautionary approach, but added that he feels as healthy as he’s ever felt, and doesn’t feel limited physically.

“Obviously I want to make it as hard as possible,” Turnbull said on Friday night. “I want to start. Give the team the best chance to win when I’m out there. Obviously, I don’t want to pitch bad. I’m going to go out there and do the best I can and kind of let the results take care of themselves. Obviously those decisions aren’t up to me. I’m here to help the team win whatever role that is. But like I said, give me the ball and I’m going out there and do my job. That’s my mindset on it.”

Nick Castellanos has yet to get an extra-base hit this season and is batting .159/.227.159 with 19 strikeouts entering Friday’s game. He was back in the lineup, batting sixth. Thomson thinks that Castellanos needs to work through his slump.

“I’m riding him out for the time being,” Thomson said. “At least for tonight. I mean, the lineup can change at any time, but I trust him, and he’s going to hit at some point, that’s for sure. Whether he needs a day or not — I don’t think he does. I think he’s mentally and emotionally fine. He’s an experienced guy who has been through this before, it’s just the start of the season, so it’s magnified.”