The Phillies sign starting pitcher Taeguan Walker to a 4-year deal

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The Phillies sign starting pitcher Taeguan Walker to a 4-year deal appeared in the original NBC Sports Philadelphia

One Night Stand after reaching an agreement on an 11-year, $300 million contract with superstar Traia Turner Veles They filled a huge hole in their starting rotation by striking a four-year deal with veteran right-hander Taeguan Walker.

The deal, first reported by the New York Post, is worth $72 million, a source confirmed to NBC Sports Philadelphia.

The 30-year-old Walker has spent the last two seasons with the Mets, making 29 starts each year with nearly identical totals of 159 and 157 pitches. That’s the kind of workload the Phillies needed to add to their rookie team, which was weak above the three core Zack WheelerAnd the Aaron Nola And the Suarez goalkeeper.

The Phillies came two wins shy of winning the World Series without a traditional No. 4 player in the playoffs. When they needed to use someone other than Weller, Nola, or Suarez, they used Noah Syndergaard and Billy Walter For a brief start.

If they make it to October again with a healthy rotation, Walker is a more trustworthy option. That’s why the Phillies agreed to pay him $18 million a year.

Walker was an All-Star in 2021 when he entered the break with a 2.66 ERA in 17 starts. He struggled in the second half before bouncing back with a 3.49 ERA last season. His best pitch is the separator, which he throws nearly as a four-seam fastball in 2022. He has a deep mix of pitches with the four-seam seamer, separator, slider, sinker, curver and cutter.

With Turner locked in to play shortstop and Walker joining a rotation that already had three locks, the Phillies’ biggest needs were filled after two winter meetings. They still need two back relievers Cerancho DominguezJose Alvarado and Conor Brogdon. They lost David Robertson and Corey Neibel Zack Evelyn for free agency. A reunion with Robertson might make sense.

The Phils could also use another veteran starting quarterback to protect themselves in case prospect Andrew Painter doesn’t grab the starting fifth starter job after spring training. Walter and Christopher Sanchez are also in the mix, but they are best presented as starters or confidantes. It’s a long season. Teams need seven, eight and nine times a year these days.

Adding Walker at $18 million annually puts the Phillies against the luxury tax threshold of $233 million, when factoring in increases due to arbitration-eligible players, the cost of the all-40-man roster and other regular items. calculated at the end of the season. The Phils passed the tax for the first time in the most recent off-season and will do so again in 2023. They’re clearly not done shopping.

Walker was originally drafted in the first round by the Mariners in 2010 and was a draft prospect. After four seasons in Seattle, he was traded to Arizona Kettle Mart By Jane Segura and Mitch Hanegger. He re-signed with the Mariners prior to 2020 and was dealt midway through the 60-game season to Toronto, where he made six starts before signing a two-year, $20 million contract with the Mets.

Walker did not extend a qualifying offer by the Mets, so he did not cost the Phillies a draft pick like Turner did or Chris Bassett did.

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