Why Taijuan Walker is returning to the Phillies’ rotation

MILWAUKEE — Taijuan Walker will start for the Phillies on Thursday at Citi Field, three weeks after being removed from the rotation.

Kolby Allard, who allowed four runs in three innings this past Saturday, is headed to the bullpen.

Manager Rob Thomson made the decision as the Phillies began a seven-game road trip to Milwaukee and New York. He liked what he saw Saturday from Walker, who pitched three scoreless innings of relief to keep the Phils’ deficit right where it was ahead of an eventual comeback win over the Mets.

“I like the way he threw the ball the other day, I really do,” Thomson said before Monday’s series opener against the Brewers. “And he’s the most veteran guy on the club. The work that he’s put in and the improvements that he’s made, I think he deserves it.”

The Phillies tried Tyler Phillips, Seth Johnson and Allard in that rotation spot the last three weeks as Walker transitioned to the bullpen for the first time in his 12-year big-league career. Phillips had pitched very well in July, Johnson had dealt at Triple A since being acquired at the trade deadline from Baltimore for Gregory Soto, and Allard had a 3.50 ERA in his first four appearances (three starts). But all three faltered, with Phillips getting knocked out in the first inning in Toronto and Johnson allowing nine runs over 2⅓ innings in Miami.

“You never say never,” Thomson said when asked if he envisioned returning Walker to the rotation so quickly. “The way that the other guys were throwing the ball, Allard and the reports we had on Johnson, the way Tyler Phillips was throwing, I thought well, we’re going to be OK. But Tai pitched well the other day, he really did.”

Walker had a 6.50 ERA and his opponents had hit .310/.375/.559 when he was pulled from the starting staff. He made three relief appearances — three, two and three innings — and allowed five runs (four earned). He still allowed plenty of baserunners, but this past weekend was a step in the right direction.

He’s still not missing any bats, though. Walker has struck out just two batters in his last 14 innings, numbers straight out of 1911.

“But he’s getting a lot of soft contact,” Thomson said. “I think he’s gonna get it. He’s one strikeout away from 1,000 for his career. I was hoping he’d get it the other day.”

Allard will be available out of the bullpen as early as Tuesday in Milwaukee. He and Walker could be battling for the final spot on the Phillies’ NLDS pitching staff should they go with 14 position players and 12 pitchers rather than 13 and 13.

The No. 5 spot in the Phillies’ rotation will come up Thursday against the Mets, then next Tuesday against the Cubs. If the Phillies clinch the top seed in the National League with a few games to spare, the fifth starter could also start Game 162 on regular rest. The Phillies began the week three games ahead of the Dodgers for the 1-seed — a two-game lead plus the tiebreaker.