Taijuan Walker becoming an expensive problem for the Phillies

SAN FRANCISCO — As much as the Phillies must find a solution to their No. 5 starter issue, the rotation has a bigger, more expensive problem.

Let’s talk about Taijuan Walker.

Just when it looked as though Walker was finally settling in after a rough first month of the season, he got knocked out in the first inning Wednesday after giving up four runs, getting only two outs, and throwing 40 pitches in the series finale against the Giants.

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Nine starts into a four-year, $72 million contract, Walker has a 6.53 ERA, 88th among 92 pitchers who have thrown at least 40 innings.

“I wouldn’t say it was a big step back,” Walker said after his shortest start since July 18, 2021, with the Mets. “Got two strikes, had two outs, and with two outs, I just couldn’t put them away. And the next thing I know, I had 40 pitches.”

To be fair, the Giants didn’t hit many balls hard against Walker. He loaded the bases with two out on two walks and a single, then gave up a soft two-run single to right field to hot-hitting rookie Casey Schmitt.

But he was unable to command his fastball, which weakened his signature splitter. Knowing they could lay off the fastball, Blake Sabol and Brandon Crawford sat on splitters and ripped RBI singles to put the Phillies in a 4-0 hole.

Walker appeared to make a breakthrough two weeks ago. After a dreadful start at Dodger Stadium, he simplified his pitch mix and leaned heavily on the splitter. The result: back-to-back quality starts against the Red Sox and Rockies in which he gave up a total of four runs in 12 innings.

But the splitter is less effective when he doesn’t throw his fastball for strikes.

“My last two outings, I was able to just pound the zone with the fastball and get ahead,” Walker said. “Today, I just couldn’t get ahead. It seems like the bad games I have, it’s not getting ahead and the walks.”

Walker identified a mechanical glitch as the reason for his wayward fastball and said it’s “a small fix that I just couldn’t fix in that first inning.” Maybe he can figure it out in the bullpen between starts.

The Phillies don’t have much choice other than to let him try it. They are already scrambling to replace demoted No. 5 starter Bailey Falter. With few palatable options in the upper levels of the minors, they are flirting with using the bullpen to piece together Sunday’s game at home against the Cubs.

For a second consecutive day, relief ace José Alvarado played catch from 60 feet, the early stage of a throwing program as he comes back from inflammation in his left elbow.

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The Phillies haven’t laid out a timetable for Alvarado’s return. But it seems clear that he won’t be ready by Tuesday, when he’s first eligible to return from the injured list. Manager Rob Thomson said he presumes Alvarado will go on a brief minor league assignment, though that hasn’t been decided.

Alvarado has a 0.63 ERA in 14⅓ innings and has struck out 24 of 52 batters.

Hitless in 15 at-bats and 2-for-21 in his last six games, third baseman Edmundo Sosa didn’t start for a second consecutive game. Thomson opted to use lefty-hitting Kody Clemens at first base and move Alec Bohm back to third against Giants righty starter Ross Stripling.

Thomson initially intended to use that alignment — Clemens at first, Bohm at third — against righties after first baseman Darick Hall underwent thumb surgery last month. But Sosa has gotten most of the playing time at third base, with Bohm moving to first.

“Sosa got hotter than a pistol,” Thomson said. “I think we’re back to more of the balancing act. But I still trust Sosa a lot. A couple days off may help.”

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The Phillies are 0-6 this season in California. They got swept two weeks ago at Dodger Stadium before the Giants broomed them at Oracle Park. ... Thomson said he doesn’t expect to name a starting pitcher for Sunday for another few days. One consideration will be how hard the bullpen has to work Friday and Saturday. The options: a bullpen game, an opener followed by a bulk-inning reliever (likely lefty Matt Strahm), or a call-up. ... The Phillies’ low-A Clearwater affiliate won its 14th consecutive home game. The Threshers are 26-9. ... After a day off, lefty Ranger Suárez (0-0, 6.75 ERA) is scheduled to start at home Friday night against Cubs right-hander Marcus Stroman (2-4, 3.24).