The Philadelphia Phillies, leading the charge in this season's National League with a stellar 42-19 record, are sticking with Taijuan Walker as their No. 5 starter, despite a clamoring for Spencer Turnbull from the stands. Walker, whose performance has been tepid with a 5.73 ERA in seven starts, is set to maintain his spot over Turnbull, according to a report by AP News. While his struggle is apparent, the Phillies manager Rob Thomson has expressed his trust in the right-hander to rally back.

"He's got to command better. Hopefully, along the way, he gains some velo. We saw it tick up a couple of starts ago and now it's come back down. I'm sure he'll get there. But he's got to command the baseball, he's got to keep it down, he's got to get the split down," Thomson said ahead of Tuesday's game, suggesting the team is not yet ready to replace Walker, per CBS News Philadelphia. Walker recently allowed four runs in five innings against St. Louis, acknowledging his underwhelming contribution, "I'm just not doing my part right now," he said.

Turnbull, the pitcher Phillies fans are advocating for, has been pushed to a bullpen position following his impressive streak of games while Walker was out due to a shoulder injury. The 31-year-old has a clean 3-0 record and an ERA of 2.64 in 13 games, a stark contrast to his struggle last year with a 7.26 ERA in seven starts for Detroit. His performance has the potential to add $2 million to his one-year deal through bonuses tied to starts and innings pitched.

Despite these dynamics and fan favorites chanting, Thomson's stance appears firm as he looks beyond the current frustrations, potentially banking on Walker's past successes and the chemistry within their top-ranking rotation. On Sunday, a game that went into extra innings against St. Louis, fans expressed their preference as Walker stepped off the mound. Nonetheless, the Phillies' hierarchy seems unwavering in their game plan, choosing to focus on the bigger picture of their highly competitive season.