A thin haze of uncertainty, not unlike that Canadian wildfire smoke that shrouded the view of the Center City skyscrapers from Citizens Bank Park, followed Taijuan Walker to the mound Tuesday night.
Not just because the big Phillies righthander’s previous start, against the Mets last Thursday had been both brief (four innings) and ineffective (three earned runs allowed). Because his velocity had dipped alarmingly. According to one reporter on the scene, only one of his fastballs hit 93 miles an hour.
Adding to the vague sense of unease, he had appeared fidgety on the mound. Uncomfortable. There was speculation he might be in pain. Maybe his hip. Maybe something else.
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Asked about his starter before the game against Detroit, though, manager Rob Thomson appeared strangely serene. Look, he’s never going to betray an ounce of doubt about any of his players. But this didn’t seem like the usual rote recitation of support. This came across as somehow a little deeper.
“That last start, and he’s been dealing with it for awhile, he’s trying to get some rhythm in his delivery,” the manager said. “His bullpen session the other day in Washington was outstanding. I think he’s finding something and I’m kind of excited to see him pitch.”
If he was excited then, he must have felt like dancing with the Phanatic on top of the dugout after the Phillies won their fourth straight, 1-0, over the Tigers before a crowd of 36,664.
Walker went seven shutout innings, allowing two hits. He struck out eight. It was the best game he’s had since signing a four-year, $72 million free agent contract with the Phils last offseason and it’s not even close.
And what, exactly, was the secret sauce that accounted for this dramatic turnabout.
Basically, stretching.
“My body just feels a lot better. I was pretty stiff the last time. I was able to have a good bullpen and have the body feel really loose coming into today,” he said. “That’s probably from just moving around a little bit more in the outfield. Simulate some ground balls and stuff. Get my body moving. Sprints and stuff. Just try to be more athletic, really.”
Walker is 30 years old. He said this is something he’s been aware of for the last couple years, something he has to remind himself to stay on top of.
That, in turn, allows him to be mechanically more sound which is what he worke don during his side day at Nationals Park.
“I was using a lot of arm all year, but I was able to find a way to get into my lower half more and drive down the slope,” he explained. “In the past, when my body is feeling good, I’m able to use my lower half more. That’s where the velo come from. This year I haven’t really been able to do that but I feel like we found something in the last bullpen.”
Those extra miles per hour make a big difference. “I think it plays way different. Those foul balls are swings and misses. The splitter is a lot sharper. This was the best my split has been all year. By far. It feels good. That’s what I want to see.”
It didn’t take long for Walker to send an unmistakable signal that this game was going to be different.
His first pitch to Tigers leadoff man Zach McKinistry was a 95 mile an hour fastball according to MLB.com Gameday.
His second pitch was a 95.1 mile an hour fastball.
He struck out the side in the top of the first.
He struck out six the first time through the order.
His fastball sat comfortably between 94 and 96.
He didn’t allow his first hit until Zack Short blooped a single to right with one out in the fifth.
When Detroit went on to load the bases with one out, he was able to bear down and get out of the jam without allowing a run.
Again, it’s fair to point out that he did this against a Tigers team that is last in the big leagues in runs scored and recently lost their best hitter, Riley Greene, to an injury.
Regardless, as former Tigers manager Jim Leyland used to like to point out, “The other side gives scholarships, too.” These were still Major League hitters he was setting down with the steady certainty of a metronome.
Walker’s strong start followed a dominant performance by Aaron Nola, easing some of the four-alarm concern that has been directed at the Phillies rotation much of the season. That doesn’t mean the Phillies starting pitching is out of the woods yet, but it’ a good sign.
After all, where’s there’s smoke, there’s fire.