The acquisition of Luzardo, however, alters the situation significantly.
He is undoubtedly one of the five best options available to Philadelphia, providing them with various choices moving forward.
Ranger Suarez was reportedly a player they were considering trading earlier in the offseason, and while that could start to gain momentum following this trade, the Phillies might also prefer to keep him to ensure this rotation remains among the best in baseball.
Bringing in Luzardo also renders Walker expendable, a point highlighted by Matt Gelb of The Athletic who noted, "If it doesn't go well in the spring, the Phillies can release Walker."
The insider mentioned that Philadelphia has Walker on a velocity training program, hoping it will rejuvenate his fastball and sinker to enhance his effectiveness.
If Walker appears to have improved during Spring Training, they might explore trading him, potentially absorbing some of his salary to make the deal more attractive for teams in need of pitching before the season starts.
The Phillies could also consider utilizing him in the bullpen, although this would make him a costly reliever.
No matter which path they decide to pursue, the Luzardo trade has provided Philadelphia with options that were previously unavailable.
The calm offseason for the Philadelphia Phillies came to an end over the span of a week.
Although they did not implement the extensive changes that many anticipated this winter, they successfully addressed all three areas of need by signing reliever Jordan Romano, outfield power hitter Max Kepler, and most recently acquiring ace Jesus Luzardo in a trade.
Surprisingly, starting pitching remained a focus for the Phillies, despite already possessing one of the top units in Major League Baseball.
This focus largely stemmed from the underwhelming performance they received from their fifth starter last year.
When Philadelphia awarded Taijuan Walker a $72 million contract prior to the 2023 season, he was anticipated to be one of the premier backend starters in the MLB, given his All-Star status in 2021 and his sub-4.00 ERA over the previous two years with the New York Mets.
However, his time with the team has been disastrous, highlighted by a career-worst 7.10 ERA and 57 ERA+ during the past season, which saw his walk rate soar and strikeout numbers decline.
Phillies fans might have wished for the front office to part ways with Walker, but with $36 million left on his contract over the next two seasons and no clear replacement available, that was not a feasible option.
Jun 21, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Taijuan Walker (99) looks on after allowing three runs against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the third inning at Citizens Bank Park.
Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Phillies most likely to cut tie with Taijuan Walker this spring
December 25, 2024
After the moves the team made this offseason, it seems there is no room for the struggling pitcher.
Philly Sports Jawn
Jawn Kruk
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