Stay or Go: Should the Phillies hold on to Taijuan Walker?
Taijuan Walker was one of the feel-good stories of the 2025 Phillies’ first half. Booed in the spring, and in the home opener, Walker pitched to a 2.30 ERA in his first seven appearances (one of them his first career save) and wound up with a respectable campaign despite shuffling back and forth between the rotation and the bullpen, though it began better than it ended.
Owed $18 million in the last leg of his four-year, $72 million contract, the age-old question is back this offseason: Should the Phillies keep him around another year? Look to dump his salary in a trade? Or just pay him to pitch elsewhere? Our writers weighed in in the eighth edition of Stay or Go. Get their thoughts before voting in our poll.
Previous editions of Stay or Go:
- Harrison Bader
- J.T. Realmuto
- Max Kepler
- Kyle Schwarber
- Ranger Suárez
- Nick Castellanos
- Orion Kerkering
Destiny Lugardo — Site Director — Maybe
It’s kind of crazy that we’re talking about Walker heading into the final year of his contract. He looked like a sunk cost by the end of the 2024 season. The Phillies should be open minded to moving off of him after this season, especially if another team is willing to pay down a significant portion of the $18 million he’s owed. Will that happen? Probably not. He’ll be in camp next year as the favorite to open the season as the No. 5 starter.
Ty Daubert — Editorial Director — Stay
With a year left on his contract, Walker will be more valuable in Philadelphia than anywhere else. The Phillies would likely have to eat significant money to trade him to another team. Walker showed in 2025 that he can be a serviceable swingman, and that could be quite useful for the Phillies next season with Ranger Suárez potentially leaving, Zack Wheeler returning from surgery and top prospect Andrew Painter coming off a lackluster year in the minor leagues. Even if it changes throughout the season again, Walker should have a role in 2026.
Bailey Digh — Staff Writer — Go
It’s time. Walker’s 2025 was interesting. He was booed during spring training. He was booed at the home opener. Then, he was a helpful pitcher throughout 2025, bouncing back from a horrible 2024 campaign. But with one year and $18 million left on his contract, it’ll be easier to move on from Walker than before. The Phillies should go that route. I don’t think there are many innings for Walker in Philadelphia in 2026, either. He’s been a team player during his time with the Phillies. They should do right by him and give him a chance to latch on with a club that can guarantee him more innings.
Nathan Ackerman — Staff Writer — Stay
If the Phillies can get someone to cover the bulk of Walker’s 2026 contract, sure, and redirect those funds elsewhere. If not, the Phillies could still trade him — but for what? Even in that scenario, the prospect they’d get back would be a lower-tier dart throw. Zack Wheeler’s health is an open question, Andrew Painter’s workload (and production) is too, Ranger Suárez is probably gone. There’ll be innings for Walker, who had a respectable 4.08 ERA last season. There’s one year left. At this point, barring the aforementioned, just see it through. Really, this question likely won’t matter much come September and October anyway.