Phillies’ Taijuan Walker flashed his trademark move and got to work in his spring debut
Walker looked in regular-season form when he picked off a Nationals runner and used his WBC tune-up to work on his slider and curveball.
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Bryce Harper and Taijuan Walker shared a laugh as they walked off the field Thursday.
Walker had just turned and fired a perfect throw to first base to pick off Nationals prospect Seaver King and end the second inning. The Phillies right-hander, making his Grapefruit League debut in Thursday’s 7-3 win over Washington, picked off five baserunners last season.
“Harp was like, ‘I wanted to yell at you so bad,’ because he saw how big his lead was,” Walker said. “I said, ‘Trust me, I saw it. Don’t worry.’”
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Walker said his pickoff move has always been a strength. He practices often, but the key is knowing how to read runners and their leads. Walker noticed King take two extra steps off first base and knew he was going to try to steal, so he threw over.
In addition to flashing his trademark move, Walker took the opportunity to work on his slider and curveball on Thursday. He didn’t throw a single splitter or cutter, typically two of his best weapons. He touched 92.7 mph with his sinker.
“Been trying to work on the slider, and felt really good with it today,” he said. “Thought the shapes were really good, swings and misses, and got weak contact with it.”
Walker, who allowed one run and three hits over two innings of work, got three whiffs on his slider and two on his curve. He is set to leave Saturday to join Team Mexico for the World Baseball Classic, and is scheduled to pitch on Tuesday in an exhibition against the Diamondbacks.
Who stood out
Bryson Stott homered down the left-field line in the first inning. He drew a walk in the third and was driven home by a Harper double.
Outfield prospect Dante Nori doubled, and catcher prospect Kehden Hettiger blasted a homer to right.
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On the mound
José Alvarado pitched a 1-2-3 inning and recorded two strikeouts, including one of Nationals outfielder James Wood. His sinker topped out at 98.8 mph.
Tanner Banks pitched the fourth and gave up a two-run home run to Andrés Chaparro.
Jonathan Bowlan retired the side in order in the fifth. Chase Shugart induced three straight groundouts in the sixth.
Quotable
“Working on command of the cutter, but velocity was good and the movement was good,” manager Rob Thomson said of Alvarado. “Threw his two-seamer for strikes for the most part. So that was encouraging.”
On deck
The Phillies will split up Friday, with one group hosting the Miami Marlins at BayCare Ballpark and the other headed to Lakeland, Fla., to play the Tigers (1:05 p.m., NBCSP+). Aaron Nola is scheduled to start against Miami and Jean Cabrera will start against Detroit.