Phillies MLR 4/9 - 4/11: Taijuan Walker Sighting

Durham 28, Lehigh Valley 10 (April 9)
Lehigh Valley 3, Durham 2 (April 10)
Durham 10, Lehigh Valley 6 (April 11)

Kolby Allard - 2.2 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, 2 GB 1 FB
Griff McGarry - 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 K, HR, 1 GB, 0 FB
Orion Kerkering - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 K, HBP, 1 GB, 0 FB
David Buchanan - 8 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 K, HR, 13 GB, 3 FB
Max Castillo - 5 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 1 ER, BB, 8 K, HR, WP, 5 GB, 0 FB
Matt Kroon - 4 for 10, R, 2B, 3 RBI, K
Weston Wilson - 3 for 12, R, RBI, BB, 3 K, SB (fielding error)
Kody Clemens - 3 for 11, 3 R, 2B, HR, RBI, 2 BB, 2 K
Darick Hall - 2 for 12, HR, 4 RBI, 5 K (fielding error)
Jordan Luplow - 4 for 11, 4 R, 3 2B, 3 RBI, BB, K, HBP, SB
Nick Podkul - 3 for 8, R, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K
Simon Muzziotti - 2 for 9, R, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K
Scott Kingery - 1 for 7, R, BB, 4 K, SB (throwing error)
David Dahl - 3 for 7, HR, 2 RBI, K

Most times, a team can score 19 runs in a three-game series and come out with a series victory. Not this time! LHV gave up an astounding 28 runs on 26 hits while using 6 pitchers and 2 position players on the mound. Durham decided it would be fun to demolish the latter two for 11 of those runs in the 9th inning. I’m not one for unwritten rules, but this feels like a crappy thing for a team to do with 17-8 lead coming into the inning. At least Orion Kerkering was only one of two pitchers in the game to not give up a run.

Reading 9, Portland 8 (April 9)
Reading 5, Portland 1 (April 10)
Reading, Portland (April 11, ppd due to rain)

Noah Skirrow - 2.1 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, K, 2 GB, 3 FB
Lachlan Wells - 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, K, HR, 5 GB, 6 FB
Tommy McCollum - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, BB, K
Marcus Lee Sang - 2 for 8, RBI, BB, 2 K (fielding error)
Gabriel Rincones Jr. - 1 for 5, 3 R, 2B, 4 BB, 3 K, SB
Carlos De La Cruz - 0 for 8, BB, K
Caleb Ricketts - 1 for 4, R, RBI, K
Carson Taylor - 4 for 8, 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, K
Kendall Simmons - 2 for 8, 2 R, 3 K, SB
Baron Radcliff - 0 for 4, 3 K
Robert Moore - 3 for 5, R, RBI, BB, HBP
Bryce Ball - 1 for 3, R, 2B, RBI, 2 K
William Simoneit - 0 for 4, R, K

Reading picks up their 2nd and 3rd wins of the season to improve to 3-2. 24 year old Carson Taylor is off to a hot start going 6 for 16 with 3 homeruns in his first 4 games. Much higher rated prospect, Carlos De La Cruz, however is struggling. CDLC is just 3 for 20 with 5 strikeouts and 2 walks.

Jersey Shore 8, Hickory 1 (April 9)
Hickory 1, Jersey Shore 0 (April 10, 10 innings))
Jersey Shore, Hickory (April 11, ppd due to wet grounds)

Braden Fausnaught - 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, BB, 2 K, 5 GB, 5 FB
Eiberson Castellano - 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 6 K, WP, HBP, 2 GB, 1 FB
Emaarion Boyd - 2 for 9, 2B, RBI, K, HBP
Justin Crawford - 3 for 9, HR, K, SB
Felix Reyes - 1 for 9, HR, 3 K
Jordan Dissin - 1 for 4, R, BB
Bryan Rincon - 2 for 8, 2 R, 2B, 2 K, HBP, SB (fielding error)
Cade Fergus - 1 for 4, R, RBI, 3 K, SB
Zach Arnold - 0 for 4, RBI, K
Troy Schreffler - 3 for 4, R, 3B, 2 RBI, SB
Erick Brito - 2 for 4, R, RBI, K
Leandro Pineda - 0 for 3, BB, 2 K
Hendry Mendez - 0 for 3, BB
William Bergolla - 0 for 4, SB
Andrick Nava - 0 for 3, BB, 2 K
Chad Castillo - 1 for 4, 2 K

After 56 steals in 91 games, Emaarion Boyd has just 1 in 4 games. Pick up the pace! Justin Crawford is also off to a bit of a slow start, but did hit his first HR of the season! He had just all of 3 in 2023. He also tagged his 4th steal. Eiberson Castellano is going to be a guy to keep an eye on. The 22 year old righty from Venezuela had his fastball clocked at 95 mph in his shutout performance.

Fort Myers 5, Clearwater 4 (April 9)
Clearwater 8, Fort Myers 7 (April 10)
Clearwater 10, Fort Myers 5 (April 11)

Luke Russo - 5 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, 9 K, WP, 1 GB, 1 FB
Micah Ottenbreit - 3.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 GB, 2 FB (pickoff error)
Taijuan Walker - 4 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 K, WP, HBP, 3 GB, 2 FB
Orion Kerkering - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K
TJayy Walton - 1 for 9, R, BB, 3 K
Aidan Miller - 5 for 12, 5 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 4 SB
Devin Saltiban - 2 for 9, 2 R, RBI, BB, K
Kehden Hettiger - 2 for 8, 2B, 3 RBI, BB, 3 K
Ricardo Rosario - 1 for 4, R, 2B, 2 K, CS
Raylin Heredia - 1 for 7, BB, 2 K, CS (outfield assist, home)
Avery Owusu-Asiedu - 3 for 12, 2 R, 2 RBI, 3 K, 2 SB
Keaton Anthony - 4 for 7, R, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K, SB
Trent Farquhar - 5 for 10, 2 R, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI, SB
Bryson Ware - 1 for 4, 2 K
Jordan Viars - 1 for 4, RBI, K, CS
Pierce Bennett - 0 for 4, 4 K
Nikau Pouaka-Grego - 1 for 3, R, 2B, BB
Luis Caicuto - 2 for 3, 2 R, 2B, 3 RBI, BB

Yes, that is a Taijuan Walker sighting. With how Spencer Turnbull has been in the rotation...do we need him back? I’d imagine they will milk this rehab for as long as they have to figure out a solution. Orion Kerkering goes from LHV on Tuesday and then CLR on Thursday and dominates in both performances. You’d have to think Nick Nelson or Ricardo Pinto aren’t long for the big league bullpen. Lastly, we have the Phillies best hitting prospect have an absolute MONSTER series. Aidan Miller will not be long for Clearwater if he keeps up this type of production.