Phillies’ Taijuan Walker says he’ll make his start; Kody Clemens making a case for the big league club

Taijuan Walker threw a light bullpen session on Sunday afternoon and said it went “great.” The Phillies right-hander, who was hit in the left foot with a comebacker on Thursday, was recovering from a bruised left toe. At first, it was unclear if he’d be able to make his next scheduled start Wednesday, but Walker says he should be good to go.

“Yeah, for sure [I’ll make the start],” he said. “I’m walking normal again. Still has a little bit of bruising and swelling, but we’ve been working hard to get that out. From what happened a couple of days ago, and where I’m at now, it’s a big change.

“[The bullpen session] went great. It feels like 80-90%. I mean, it’s not all the way pain free, but I mean, I threw 40 some pitches. So I felt really good.”

It was a frustrating setback for Walker, who began the season on the injured list with right shoulder soreness. Leading up to that start on Thursday, he’d had trouble getting a good feel for his splitter, which was his signature pitch last season.

But in that start against the Mets, he began to throw his splitter more. He felt more comfortable with the pitch.

“Just kind of having confidence in it, and the site where I’m throwing it,” Walker said. “Just trying to throw it down, so just looking right under J.T. [Realmuto]’s glove as my aiming point.

“I think I was just trying to throw it [before], and just let the action move. But I just kept leaving it up.”

Walker is hopeful that when he makes his next start, he can keep making progress on that pitch.

Shortstop Trea Turner (left hamstring strain) was supposed to hit on the field Sunday morning but hit in the indoor cages instead. Manager Rob Thomson said Turner will hit on the field on Tuesday. He did some throwing with director of strength and conditioning Morgan Gregory before Sunday’s game. Turner’s recovery is expected to take six weeks. He went on the injured list May 3.

Just about anytime Thomson is asked about Kody Clemens, he says that Clemens is a big leaguer. The utility infielder is backing his manager up. He’s now hitting .304/.333/.826 with three home runs over his 10 games with the Phillies. It’s not clear how he would fit on the active roster after Turner comes off the injured list, but Thomson conceded that Clemens is making it difficult for the Phillies to send him back to triple A.

“We’re a ways away from that,” Thomson said. “But, I mean, he’s playing great.”

Bryce Harper agrees.

“He has big league at-bats more and more every day,” Harper said on Saturday night. “He goes in there and he’s never overmatched. Not trying to do too much. Just always trying to put the ball on the barrel. I think he does a phenomenal job of going in there, even when he’s not playing, not starting, [of] being able to lock it in later in the game against some tough pitchers.”