Philadelphia Phillies news: Spencer Turnbull in line for surprise roster spot after Taijuan Walker's shoulder injury

Taijaun Walker's shoulder injury could open the door for a longer term spot in the Philadelphia Phillies rotation for Spencer Turnbull. After Walker reported some stiffness before his planned start, the team turned to Turnbull. He had been brought in mainly for depth and could be thrust into a starting role.

Walker felt something wrong in his shoulder a little before his planned start the other day. Turnbull, who was there and was supposed to pitch three innings of relief, made the spot start.

Manager Rob Thomson said of Walker's shoulder injury via The Athletic:

“He didn’t say pain. He just said it didn’t feel right.”

Turnbull dropped in three scoreless innings against the New York Yankees, which is cause for hope for the team who has no current timetable for a return for Walker. He's awaiting the results of exams, but he'll miss some time due to the lack of a full Spring Training regardless.

Walker had also been dealing with a knee ailment, but that's not presently causing any concern. Following a start, he said:

“Great. I mean, I feel like my body is moving so good right now. Very athletic. Moving quick and stuff. We’ve really been busting our asses. Working really hard.”

For now, Turnbull, a former Detroit Tigers player, will take his spot in the rotation and try to do the best he can do.

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Spencer Turnbull excited about Phillies, could replace Taijuan Walker for a while

Shoulder injuries, even if it's not "pain" as Rob Thomson specified, can be tricky for pitchers. There's no telling when Taijuan Walker will return, and it could be months. The Phillies brought in Spencer Turnbull for depth and they're having to use it now.

Spencer Turnbull takes over for Taijuan Walker

Fortunately, Turnbull has loved his experience in Philly. He said:

“It’s been wonderful. I can’t say enough good things about it. Very different. Completely different vibes in a lot of different ways. I’ve loved it so far, and hopefully, it’s just going to continue to get better. I’ve enjoyed every second of it.”

Now, he will play a much larger role with this new club than he or the team previously envisioned.