The Phillies have put Taijuan Walker on the injured list due to a blister on his finger.
Manager Rob Thomson said, “We’re going to try to work through that. I think it’s probably been going on for awhile. He’s not going to admit to anything, because he’s a competitor. He doesn’t want to tell his opponents he’s got a problem with his finger.” This issue seems to have affected Walker’s ability to throw his best pitch, the splitter. His fastball and sinker were also slower than usual during Friday’s game against the Diamondbacks.
Walker struggled in that game, giving up four runs on five hits and three walks over four innings. Three of those hits were home runs, leaving him with a 5.60 ERA for the season.
Mercado, 25, is set for his MLB debut after posting a 1.71 ERA in Triple-A .
Phillies’ Pitching Dilemma
Walker’s next start was supposed to be Wednesday against the Tigers. It’s unclear if Mercado will take that spot or if Spencer Turnbull will step in after throwing 49 pitches in relief on Friday.
Fans might wonder how this change will affect the team’s performance moving forward.
The Phillies are currently tied with the Yankees for the best record in Major League Baseball at 50-26.
What do you think about these changes?
