Reports: Phils, RHP Taijuan Walker agree to 4-year, $72M deal
December 7 - The Philadelphia Phillies continued their free agent spending spree on Tuesday, agreeing to a four-year, $72 million deal with right-hander Taijuan Walker, according to multiple media reports.
A day earlier, the Phillies reportedly landed shortstop Trea Turner with an 11-year, $300 million contract.
Walker, 30, spent the past two seasons with the New York Mets. He was an All-Star for the first time in 2021, though he finished 7-11 with a 4.47 ERA in 30 games (29 starts). This year, he went 12-5 with a 3.49 ERA in 29 starts.
A first-round draft pick of the Mariners in 2010, Walker played in Seattle from 2013-16. He spent 2017-19 with the Arizona Diamondbacks before splitting the 2020 season between the Mariners and the Toronto Blue Jays.
In 167 career games (163 starts), Walker has a 54-50 record with a 3.89 ERA, 806 strikeouts and 284 walks in 898 innings.
Walker joins a rotation topped by right-handers Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola and left-hander Ranger Suarez. Right-hander Zach Eflin, a Philadelphia starter for much of the past seven years who pitched in relief during the 2022 playoffs, reportedly agreed to a three-year, $40 million free agent deal with the Tampa Bay Rays last week.
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The Phillies reached the World Series this year before losing in six games to the Houston Astros.
The Mets have lost two starting pitchers in less than a week, as right-hander Jacob deGrom signed a five-year, $185 million free agent contract with the Texas Rangers on Friday.
--Field Level Media
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