PHILADELPHIA — Boos echoed throughout Citizens Bank Park on August 28 of last year as Taijuan Walker muscled through six ugly innings against the Houston Astros. He gave up six runs on 13 hits while his season ERA ballooned to 6.50. Walker stayed in the game to save the bullpen in his last start before being demoted to a long reliever himself.

On Thursday night, Walker fared much better in what might’ve been his last turn in the rotation ahead of another potential move to the bullpen. He tossed 5 2/3 solid innings versus the Nationals and left the field to applause from the announced crowd of 37,069.

The Phillies will activate Ranger Suárez off the injured list for his season debut on Sunday. After a disastrous 2024, Walker has been serviceable in the left-hander’s place. If Thursday was his last chance to start for now, Walker did what Philadelphia needed out of its fifth spot.

“He’s pitched great,” manager Rob Thomson said. “He really has. The work he did in the offseason — he’s mixing his pitches. He’s not throwing his four-seam as much, but because of the added velocity, all the other stuff is playing up. So the cutter is good. His split was really good tonight. He’s got that little dump curveball, first pitch that he uses a lot and usually throws it for strikes.

“He’s pitched great. He’s attacked the zone. His command is good. He’s been great.”

The veteran Walker allowed four runs (one earned) on four hits and three walks while striking out two batters. He comfortably pitched five scoreless, then hit a wall facing the Nationals order a third time through as Washington used a four-run sixth inning to down the Phillies, 4-2, and avoid a sweep in the finale of a three-game series.

The right-hander said he believes he’s pitched “pretty well” this season, and he has. Walker has posted a 2.54 ERA in 28 1/3 innings across six starts. He’s looked like a different pitcher than last season. He entered the start against Washington aiming to throw a bit deeper into the game, and he pitched his longest outing since his first start of the year.

“I thought I did a really good job of getting quicker outs,” Walker said. “Obviously, that sixth inning just got away from me a little. Before that, I felt like I was in a pretty good groove, getting quick outs, quick innings. It was kind of back and forth between me and their pitcher. It was a quick game before that sixth inning.”

Walker took a bit of a beating on the mound. In the first at-bat of the game, he pounced off the mound to field a grounder towards first base off the bat of CJ Abrams. He scooped it with his red and blue glove and flipped it in one motion as he fell hard to the dirt — the hardest he’s fallen “in a long time.” Bryce Harper grabbed the ball with his bare right hand to complete the incredible play.

In the sixth, Walker took a 103.9 mph line drive from James Wood off the thigh before recovering and throwing to first for the out. He stayed in the game and told Thomson that it didn’t affect him. But the Nationals immediately rallied in the aftermath.

The next batter, Nathaniel Lowe, hit an RBI single, then Harper whiffed on a hard Keibert Ruiz grounder to first that brought home another run. Luis García Jr. added an RBI single and later stole home as catcher Rafael Marchán made a poor throw down to second on a first-and-third play once Walker was removed. It wasn’t the prettiest inning for the pitcher or the defense behind him on an otherwise decent night for Walker.

“The ball down the first base line, it’s a tough play, but Harper usually makes that play. He pitched so well,” Thomson said of Walker. “He mixed his pitches for the most part. He got ahead of hitters and attacked the zone. He’s kept us in games. I trust him.”

While Thomson may have faith in Walker, that probably won’t be enough to save his role as a starter. He seems destined to land in the bullpen as the long man. Thomson said he could “absolutely” see Walker as a fit for relieving, but he declined to say how he’ll use the righty moving forward. Maybe there’s a chance the Phillies could use a six-man rotation for a period.

The manager wouldn’t commit to any update on his starting pitching beyond that Zack Wheeler will go this upcoming Tuesday in Tampa, Fla., following an off day on Monday.

Walker, who came off the IL and replaced Spencer Turnbull in the rotation last May, said it will be a “bonus” to have Suárez back. He knows “it’s a good problem to have” when a team has a bunch of starters performing, and he’s pleased with the case he’s made to keep getting the same opportunities he’s had.

“Obviously, I want to be a starting pitcher,” Walker said. “I feel like I’ve done my job well enough to be in the rotation still. Ultimately, it’s not my decision, so we’ll talk to them and see what happens.”

Walker’s turnaround from last season has been legitimately impressive, and it would’ve been hard to envision him putting himself in this position just a year ago as his struggles continued for so long. Even if he’ll probably stop making regular starts soon, he can eat innings and stay ready in the event that the Phillies need rotation help. It’s a big win for both sides that Walker has reemerged as a contributor.

“I feel like it’s a night-and-day difference from last year to this year,” he said. “I feel like I’m throwing the ball well. So we’ll see whatever they decide moving forward and go from there.”