A good pitching staff can simply make or break an entire season. Interestingly, the Phillies have seen both sides of that spectrum. The previous year, their rotation had signs of brilliance, but also apparent weaknesses. And now, the Phillies rotation just got stirred up. Along with a deep postseason push, they’ve got a key arm to strengthen their pitching staff. According to former Mets coach Ruben Amaro Jr., it’s a significant game changer.

During The Bret Boone Podcast, Amaro didn’t hold back his take on Taijuan Walker’s struggles. He stated, “It was pretty clear that Taijuan Walker was not the same Taijuan Walker that they signed coming from the Mets.” As Walker failed to meet the expectations, the Phillies required bench depth. And that’s exactly where the $6.225 million pitcher, Jesús Luzardo, enters.

According to Amaro, Luzardo is “a perfect fit” for the Phillies lineup. However, he doesn’t see Luzardo as a back-end starter. Amaro said, “I don’t view him as a No. 5 starter. When he’s right and healthy, he’s probably like two or three.” As Zack Wheeler, Ranger Suárez, and Cristopher Sánchez are already in the blend, the Phillies’ rotation looks stacked. As for Walker, Amaro suggests he might be pushed into a multi-inning reliever fill-in starter.

Suárez’s back injury may push Walker into the Phillies’ rotation

Just as it started to seem like Taijuan Walker’s role with the Phillies was set, things took a sharp turn. Ranger Suárez was supposed to round out the starting rotation. But unfortunately, he’s facing a stiff back—and that could change a lot.

The uncertainty came to the notice of manager Rob Thomson, and he stated, “That’s why we haven’t announced anything with the rotation, who’s pitching when, and who’s got the home opener.” According to reports, Suárez’s injury isn’t as intense as last year. But it’s not right to take any chance around that. “The next 24 or 48 hours will tell us a lot,” Thomson added.

Until 6th April, the Phillies don’t need a fifth starter against the Dodgers. If Suárez makes it on the 15-day injured list, he could make a comeback as early as April 8, 2025, in Atlanta. The speculations are all over the place right now, just like Walker’s future.

Walker recorded a 7.10 ERA last season. He arrived at the camp devoted to securing a starting role. After a thrilling start to the spring training, he got roughed up against the Yankees on Wednesday, allowing six runs in 3 2/3 innings. When he was questioned about the bullpen role, he said, “I haven’t thought about that.” He seemed a bit uninterested here.

He didn’t mince words about frustrations from last year. “Honestly, it was such a mess. I couldn’t tell you. I was just trying to get outs at that point.” The Phillies are currently in a tough spot with Suárez’s unclear status and Walker’s fluctuating performance.

We know for sure that Walker will be on the Opening Day roster. But, we will know in time if he’s in the bullpen or the rotation.