Walker’s poor performance puts Phillies’ celebrations on hold for at least another day originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
NEW YORK — The 2024 season will likely be one that Taijuan Walker will write off once it’s over.
Fortunately, the fifth player in the rotation only has one more start to play in the regular season.
For the second night in a row, the Phillies had only one goal: to win the game and clinch a playoff spot. Neither goal was achieved Thursday, as the club lost its series opener to the Mets, 10-6, at Citi Field.
The magic number for a playoff spot remains at one.
The magic number to win the NL East remains at four.
And luckily for the Phillies, while the Dodgers won (and by won, I mean they absolutely demolished the Marlins, 20-4) and put them in a tie for first place in the National League, the Phillies hold the tiebreaker after winning the season series. So there’s a sigh of relief.
In terms of relief, this is pretty much where it begins and ends.
The stage was unfortunately set early – a feeling we know all too well when Walker steps onto the mound.
Walker gave up back-to-back home runs to Mark Vientos and Pete Alonso to give the Mets an early lead. Vientos’ solo shot came on an 85.3 mph first pitch with a 113.2 exit velocity.
The Phillies and Mets traded two-run hits in the third inning. Trea Turner got his 19th hit of the season off Luis Severino to briefly tie the game before Brandon Nimmo returned the favor.
“We were behind all game,” manager Rob Thomson said. “Every time we scored they responded. We were constantly behind.”
Trailing by two runs, the Phillies got back to work and found contributions in the bottom of the lineup. Nick Castellanos singled, JT Realmuto walked and Brandon Marsh singled down the left-field line to drive in a run.
The Phillies trailed by just one run, and it seemed more than possible for them to continue to chip away at the Mets’ lead and perhaps turn the game around.
Walker didn’t even manage to record an out in the bottom of the inning before that hope was squandered.
Francisco Alvarez launched the Mets’ fourth home run of the night in as many innings — but this time it was a three-run stab that put the Phillies into their biggest deficit of the night.
The inning quickly fell apart, but the decision to keep Walker out and face a few more batters was also a result of a desire to preserve bullpen arms.
“We have a game tomorrow, we have a game six days in a row,” Thomson said. “So you start using all these guys, and what happens tomorrow if you lose?
“It didn’t work. It’s my fault, I’ll wear it.”
In his eight appearances since being removed from the injured list on Aug. 13, Walker has allowed 12 home runs. In the 15 games he has started this season, he has allowed 22.
Walker’s night ended after 3.1 innings. He allowed six hits, eight runs, three walks, hit J.D. Martinez with a pitch … and gave up four home runs.
“It’s not been a good year for me,” Walker said after the loss. “I mean, that’s just the way it goes. I’ve worked hard and done everything I’ve had to do, but the results aren’t coming for me right now.”
“I thought there was a little more dynamism today, but I didn’t execute, I didn’t take the lead. When I had two holds, I couldn’t put the guys at a distance. I’m not doing it at all right now.”
The four home runs were the most he has allowed in a single game in his career.
Jose Ruiz couldn’t stop the bleeding when he came on to replace Walker. Two more runs crossed the plate and the once-tight one-run deficit grew to six.
Besides Turner’s home run, one of the only other bright spots was Brandon Marsh, who had two singles and an RBI.
Bryce Harper hit a two-out double to give the Phillies the fifth and sixth runs. On a night where a lot didn’t go right, five of their six runs came with two outs.
There’s always tomorrow, right?
It will be a rematch of last week’s meeting between left-handers Cristopher Sanchez (10-9, 3.24 ERA) and David Peterson (9-2, 2.85). Sanchez allowed just one run in seven innings in the Phillies’ narrow 2-1 victory.
Do it.
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