March 17, 2025
Gerrit-Cole-feature

Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole Gets Tests on Pitching Elbow - Heavy Sports

Why This Philadelphia Phillies Pitcher Could Be Traded

The Philadelphia Phillies have recently been one of the best teams in the Majors. They are well-poised for another pennant run in 2025. However, this summer, the Phillies front office may face the ever-difficult task of balancing present success with future considerations. Starting pitcher Ranger Suárez was recently brought up in potential trade talks by Jared Frank of SB Nation: And you know that the Yankees would love to have that [Suárez] comfort. They might be willing to pay a good price to bring Suárez’s assistance to an ailing rotation. And with Suárez’s contract expiring and Andrew Painter on the way, the time might be right. Floating this idea seems ludicrous, but maybe Frank has a point. Philadelphia still has a few more years of Zack Wheeler’s ace material. Christoper Sánchez is only 28 years old but has made leaps. Aaron Nola is still Aaron Nola, and the addition of Jesús Luzardo makes this a formidable rotation, with or without Suárez. The New York Yankees, meanwhile, are in a dire position to add starting pitching. Gerrit Cole is out for the year with Tommy John surgery, American League Rookie of the Year Luis Gil is out for an extended time, and with Aaron Judge’s prime years winding down, it could be now or never for New York.

Gerrit Cole shines through eight innings, Yankees top Jays | Reuters

The other key piece to this is Andrew Painter. The 6-foot-7, 21-year-old first-round draft pick is one of the most highly-touted prospects in baseball, coming in at No. 8 on MLB.com’s latest rankings. Painter is currently ramping up and should join the team sometime this summer. Suárez could be due for a big contract this offseason, and if the Phillies know they will be unwilling to pay him, a deadline move could make sense. Painter would be pressured to return sooner rather than later and star in his debut campaign. Would Philadelphia sell one of its most stable arms amid a title pursuit? It seems unlikely, but the business aspect of this league has never ceased to amaze, and with Suárez’s expiring deal, anything is possible.

Phillies Upcoming Taijuan Walker Decision

The Philadelphia Phillies will decide whether pitcher Taijuan Walker will make the roster soon. Walker is one of the pitchers competing for the eighth bullpen spot. Matt Strahm is currently dealing with a left shoulder injury, and his opening day status is to be determined. Strahm being out for an extended period of time would alter the bullpen setup to start the regular season. In that scenario, Walker would probably start the season on the 26-man roster. This would allow for more time to make the big-picture decision.

Walker has a 1-0 record with a 3.86 ERA in three spring training starts. Additionally, Walker has a 7.19 FIP along with a .286 batting average against this spring. Walker has a 13.9% strikeout rate and a 2.8% walk rate. All things considered, Walker has shown slight improvement compared to last season. With that being said Walker does have a concerning 30.0% HR/FB rate and a 2.89 HR/9 rate this spring. Walker has been doing worse in those categories in spring training than he did during the 2024 regular season.

Gerrit Cole shines through eight innings, Yankees top Jays | Reuters

Remain On Team As Long Relief Pitcher

Walker could very well start the season as the Phillies long relief pitcher. At the end of last season, Walker made a few relief appearances. Walker is also already on the Phillies 40-man roster, unlike some competitors for the role. Some of the other players competing for the spot are non-roster invitees. Walker will likely be on the Phillies opening day roster at this point. Given who is still competing for the role, the status of Strahm, and other roster considerations, Walker is in a good position to make the team out of camp. While Walker should not be on the team to start the season it may happen partially out of necessity.

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