Angels gave the right hand Taijuan Walker his unconditional release, according to an announcement from the Triple-A team in Salt Lake. Walker signed a minor league deal with the Halos on June 11, his second with the organization since being released by the Phillies in late April.
Walker, 33, made two starts for Salt Lake this season. Both lasted five innings, and Walker allowed a total of seven runs (six earned) while striking out three batters and walking the same number. That brings him to a 4.91 ERA in 14 2/3 innings over three starts in Triple-A for the Angels.
That’s a very small sample, yes, but it’s still not good for Walker given how poorly he’s done in recent years. Now a 14-season veteran, Walker was worth 2.4 fWAR in 173 2/3 innings for the Phillies in 2023. Since then, he has pitched to a 5.67 ERA in 230 innings while striking out 15.6% of opposing batters.
At this stage, it wouldn’t be surprising if Walker engages in a cycle of signing minor league deals by opting out, exploring free agency, re-signing or joining a new organization in hopes of getting a big callup. The latter is highly unlikely given Walker’s ineffectiveness in Triple-A, to say nothing of his decline in recent years. He may end up finding a team willing to eat innings, but it’s perhaps telling that the Angels, a team with a 4.64 rotational ERA tied for seventh-worst in the Majors, have passed on calling Walker up a second time.
Financial costs are not an issue, as the Phillies are still trying to meet Walker’s $18MM guaranteed salary this year. Any team that moves Walker up will only owe him the estimated major league average of $780K, which can be deducted from the Phillies’ tab. That leaves Walker as a cheap depth option who has struggled recently, but who might be young enough to be a potential repeater. He could look to sign with the Angels again and reposition himself over a larger sample at Triple-A. Alternatively, Walker could look for relief opportunities, accepting the role the Phillies offered him in mid-2025.
Photo courtesy of Patrick Gorski, Imagn Images
