The worst pitching contract in Phillies history didn’t end with a horrific injury or a wave of controversy. Instead, it ended quietly, on a Thursday in Chicago with a 9.13 ERA and a $15 million check. Taijuan Walker cost Philadelphia $72 million. He produced 1.9 wins above replacement over four seasons. Now the franchise is paying him to go away after no other MLB team would take him.
Fresh off a career-best season for the Mets in 2022, Walker declined a contract option and decided to explore free agency. It made sense. He was coming off a campaign in which he went 12–5 with a 3.49 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 132 strikeouts against 45 walks in 157 1/3 innings. His 2.7 fWAR was a career best.
