Breaking MLB News: Phillies Release Former All-Star, 14-Year Veteran

The Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets are neck and neck in the National League Eastern Division. That is something that many of us expected heading into the 2026 campaign. But tied for last place in the entire NL with 8-16 records? That was not expected, to say the least.

The Phillies have made their first big move to try to do something to turn things around: They will not be running Taijuan Walker out to the mound every fifth day any longer. In fact, they won't even have him around the team. The 14-year veteran starter has been released.

Phillies have released Taijuan Walker in the final season of his four year, $72 million deal. He posted a 9.13 ERA in five games this year pic.twitter.com/O27tVbAeyR
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 23, 2026

"It just wasn’t working," said GM Dave Dombrowski, in an understatement.

Walker has an atrocious 9.13 ERA through five games (four starts) this year, having surrendered a major-league high 23 earned runs, in 22.2 innings. His 2.07 WHIP is equally anemic.

The Phils will eat the remaining $15 million on the final year of his four-year, $72 million deal. That contract has been an abject disaster, as Walker has posted a 5.12 ERA in 89 appearances for Philadelphia, and in the three postseasons he was involved in, he was used for a grand total of two-thirds of an inning—as a mop-up man in the 9th inning of an 8-2 win last year.

Former ace Zack Wheeler is returning to the Phils rotation this weekend, mercifully ending Walker's run.

As noted by Matt Gelb of The Athletic, Walker joins eight other Phillies free agent signings by Dombrowski that have been released while still under contract: Nick Castellanos, Joe Ross, Whit Merrifield, Josh Harrison, Didi Gregorius, Jeurys Familia, Odúbel Herrera and Chase Anderson are the others.