Diamond Notes: Walker likely to make season debut later this week

Taijuan Walker made what likely was his final rebab start on Sunday, tossing 6 1/3 innings with Triple-A Lehigh Valley while surrendering four runs on seven hits. He walked three and whiffed just one. He threw 59 of his 102 pitches for strikes. Walker began the season on the injured list while dealing with an impingement in his right shoulder. 

Walker's return means Spencer Turnbull, who has been outstanding in the starting rotation, will move to a long-man role in the bullpen. The 31-year-old right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA and 0.77 WHIP in four starts and carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning in his start on Friday night against the White Sox.

“Obviously I want to make it as hard as possible,” Turnbull said of his desire to remain in the rotation. “I want to start and give myself the best chance and give the team the best chance to win when I’m out there. But those decisions aren’t really up to me. I’m just here to help the team win in whatever role that is.”

Manager Rob Thomson is looking to take a cautious approach with Turnbull as he missed the entire 2022 season following Tommy John surgery and pitched in just 57 innings last year between the Majors and Minors. 

"Usually you go up 30 or 40 from the year before," Thomson said. "But we’re not going to put him in jeopardy.”

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Right-handed reliever Luis Ortiz is expected to begin a rehab assignment on Tuesday with Single-A Clearwater. He's working his way back from sprained ankle he sustained on March 30. There is no immediate timetable for his return. 

 

Righty Dylan Covey has been playing catch and may pitch from a mound at some point this week. He's dealing with a right shoulder strain. Like Ortiz, there is no immediate timetable for his return.

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Johan Rojas got off to a slow start, but performed well over the homestand. He's hitting .409 over his last seven games and .311 over the last 15. He also stole five bases over the last week, showcasing a significant value for the Phillies at the bottom of the order. 

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The Phillies' starting rotation entered Sunday with an impressive 31 1/3 consecutive inning scoreless streak, marking the best such streak in franchise history since the rotation's 37-inning run back in 1969. 

 

The White Sox snapped the streak with Eloy Jimenez hitting a two-run blast off Aaron Nola in the first inning on Sunday, but that's not to say the starting pitching so far this season hasn't been outstanding. 

 

Aaron Nola: 3-1, 3.16 ERA, 1.09 WHIP 

Zack Wheeler: 1-3, 2.30 ERA, 0.89 WHIP 

Ranger Suarez: 3-0, 1.73 ERA, 0.77 WHIP 

Cristopher Sanchez: 1-2. 2.53 ERA, 1.31 WHIP 

Spencer Turnbull: 2-0, 1.23 ERA, 0.77 WHIP 

 

The team entered Sunday with the best ERA in the National League (2.25) and second best in all of baseball, trailing only Boston with a 1.71 ERA. The Phillies held the top spot entering Sunday in strikeouts, quality starts (13), and opponents' batting average (.192).