Taijuan Walker delivered his final pitch of the day—a sharp 84.7 mph slider that broke away from right-handed hitter Hunter Goodman—resulting in a swinging strikeout. With a fist pump, he calmly stepped off the mound. As he returned to the dugout, Brandon Marsh clapped in approval, manager Rob Thomson embraced him, and his teammates lined up to congratulate him.

The moment must have been satisfying. After enduring boos during his final spring training start and even during the team introductions at the home opener, a handful of fans rose to applaud Walker’s dominant six-inning, scoreless performance against the Colorado Rockies. His efforts secured the win in the Phillies’ 3-1 victory—the first time the team had won a game he started since May 22, 2024.

It marked a significant turnaround. Last season, Walker struggled mightily, posting a 7.10 ERA while failing to generate velocity on his sinker. His secondary pitches lacked distinction, making him an easy target for opposing hitters. Frustrated fans took out their anger on him, turning him into a scapegoat.

It was a tough stretch for everyone involved. Many pleaded for the Phillies to cut their losses and move on. Walker lost his spot in the rotation and had to face the consequences of not living up to his contract.

“You never want to hear [boos] all the time,” Walker admitted. “But it’s part of the game. Playing here is tough. When you’re pitching well and winning, the fans are the best.”

His mother, Nellie, felt the sting of last season’s struggles as well. She had once sat in the stands, heartbroken as thousands of fans jeered her son. But on Thursday, she was back at Citizens Bank Park—this time, shedding tears of joy.

“She’s so happy right now,” Walker said.

There was plenty to celebrate. He needed just 74 pitches to complete six innings, generating 11 swings-and-misses—the most in any of his outings since June 2 of last year. His sinker consistently sat between 92 and 93 mph.

“The key was attacking the zone, getting ahead, and throwing strikes,” Walker explained. “They were aggressive, so I worked in the slider and cutter early. Everything felt really good today.”

Catcher J.T. Realmuto echoed that sentiment: “He mixed his pitches well and executed all of them effectively throughout the game.”

Walker’s next challenge will be in Atlanta against the struggling Braves. His role in the rotation isn’t set in stone—Ranger Suárez (back) is expected to return later this month or in early May. If the staff is healthy, Walker is expected to transition into a long-relief role rather than remain a starter.

His presence in the rotation at all is somewhat surprising. The Phillies’ offseason acquisition of Jesús Luzardo pushed Walker out of the 2025 starting five, and Joe Ross was signed as a swingman, seemingly ahead of Walker on the depth chart. The team initially opted not to build him up as a full-time starter during spring training, and an illness prevented them from reconsidering that decision.

Was anyone else considered for Suárez’s spot?

“Not for me,” Thomson said Wednesday. “Taijuan’s stuff looked much better than last year, even if his last couple of [Grapefruit League] starts weren’t great. He was working on some things, and I trust him.”

Walker started spring training strong, allowing just four earned runs across his first three outings, but he struggled in his final two. Optimism faded, and expectations for him remained low.

Whatever they were, he met them against an aggressive Colorado lineup. Tougher opponents lie ahead, and he’ll need to be even sharper.

Still, Thursday’s outing eased some of the tension surrounding him. Before the game, Thomson recalled a story from one of Walker’s rough outings last season. He couldn’t remember the exact game—there were too many—but the message was clear. Walker was struggling and being booed, but when asked if he wanted to keep pitching, he never hesitated. He knew his team needed innings.

“That’s just who he is,” Thomson said. “He’s a great teammate.”