I mean.. its not like hes going out there with a not caring attitude. We all act like players who are struggling can just automatically flip a switch and make it better. Im sure hes trying to figure it out. Players have a lot of pride.. and the amount of money they make doesnt matter one iota. Walker would love to throw a no hitter every time he steps on the mound. But whether its a physical issue, mental issue, tiredness or a mix of all 3, its just not working for him,
All players go through slumps. Even most superstar players have a bad year once or twice through their career. (Steve Carlton in 1973 and Mike Schmidt 1978 come to mind)
The other thing is.. This is pretty much who Taijuan Walker is. He had a very good year last year, but in 2021 his season ERA was 4.47 which is exactly his ERA now as I type this. Hes pitched 6 full seasons as a starter and 4 of them have an ERA above 4.