Philadelphia Phillies release former Toronto Blue Jays right-hander from $72 Million deal

The Philadelphia Phillies have released veteran right-hander Taijuan Walker, per a team announcement.

Walker, 33, is in the final season of a four-year, $72MM contract that didn’t pan out at all as the team hoped.

It was a surprisingly large contract at the time he signed the deal. Walker was fresh off a solid 29-start showing with the Mets (3.49 ERA, 157 1/3 innings), but his rate stats didn’t support that level of run prevention.

Walker had a decent season as an innings eating, back-of-the-rotation starter in year one of the contract (4.38 ERA, 172 2/3 frames), and he posted solid results between the rotation and bullpen in 2025 as well (4.08 ERA, 123 2/3 innings).

The other two seasons of the contract have been a nightmare. Walker was one of the least-effective pitchers in the sport in 2024, yielding a 7.10 earned run average across 83 2/3 innings.

This season has gone even worse. The veteran righty has pitched 22 2/3 innings and been shelled for 25 runs (23 earned) on a whopping 36 hits and 11 walks with only 17 strikeouts.

He’s working with the second-worst velocity of his career, ahead of only that disastrous ’24 campaign, and missing bats at his lowest levels ever.

Between those red flags and the 9.13 ERA, the Phillies were left with little choice but to move on as they try to crawl out of an 8-16 hole and snap a woeful eight-game losing streak.

The Phillies will remain on the hook for the rest of Walker’s $18MM salary this season.

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