The Philadelphia Phillies cut ties with former All-Star pitcher Taijuan Walker, releasing the pitcher after five games in which he allowed a major-league leading 23 earned runs.

Walker’s 9.13 ERA is hardly the first sign of trouble for the veteran right-hander. He is 8-15 with a 5.30 ERA (82 ERA+) over the last two seasons. His innings-eating capabilities might allow him to latch on elsewhere in the league, but the Phillies needed to move on in order to improve their fortunes in the National League East.

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The Phillies’ active eight-game losing streak is the longest in MLB. At 8-16, they are fourth in the five-team National League East.

Last year, the Phillies won the NL East with a 96-66 record. Walker, 33, made 21 starts in a season when veterans Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler both missed significant time due to injuries.

Now, Nola is healthy. Wheeler has made five rehab starts and will be activated Saturday. Andrew Painter, a 23-year-old right-hander, looks like he could fill the gap left when Ranger Suarez left in free agency.

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Against this backdrop, it’s no wonder the Phillies lost patience with Walker.

Walker signed with Philadelphia for four years and $72 million prior to the 2023 season. He’s in the final year of his contract, and any team can claim him and pay him only a pro-rated portion of the major league minimum for the remainder of this season.

Whether that’s a realistic outcome for Walker remains to be seen.