Phillies Drop to 8-11 After 9-0 Loss as Walker Struggles and Lefty Bats Go Quiet

Overview

• Philadelphia fell 9-0 to Atlanta on Friday, marking a third straight home loss by six or more runs and leaving the club 8-11.
• Taijuan Walker has a 9.16 ERA through four starts and said his walks and shaky command are costing him innings.
• Multiple outlets report Walker is likely to shift to the bullpen once Zack Wheeler finishes his rehab, with one more start expected next week.
• The lineup has struggled badly against left-handed pitching with a .179/.280/.275 slash line after seeing only southpaws in the shutout.
• Kyle Schwarber and manager Rob Thomson urged urgency and execution as team metrics rank near the bottom in OPS, batting average, and runs.