Phillies Executive Reveals Call-Up Plan for Top Prospect Andrew Painter

Newsweek

29-05-2025

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
The Philadelphia Phillies have logged baseball's best record so far thanks in large part to a stellar starting rotation.
The team has recorded the most strikeouts of any in Major League Baseball behind strong seasons from Zack Wheeler, Jesus Luzardo, Christopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez. And it has some potential reinforcements waiting in the wings.
Long-time frontline starter Aaron Nola is working on a return from an ankle injury, Taijuan Walker has taken on a bullpen role and prospect Mick Abel made an impressive start with the big-league club earlier this month. But the Phillies also have their No. 1 prospect, Andrew Painter, working toward his own major league debut.
After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023, Painter has made three starts in Triple-A so far this year, logging a 2.25 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 12 total innings. As he continues to impress, the Phillies are keeping an eye on him for a potential call up in the next few weeks.
FORT MYERS, FL- MARCH 01: Andrew Painter #76 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during a spring training game against the Minnesota Twins on March 1, 2023 at the Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo...
FORT MYERS, FL- MARCH 01: Andrew Painter #76 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during a spring training game against the Minnesota Twins on March 1, 2023 at the Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/) More
Hemmelgarn/Getty
"He's doing very well right now from a health perspective and his stuff continues to get better and better," Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said during a recent interview with "The Show" podcast. "He's progressing in the fashion that we'd like to (see)."
As Painter continues to progress on the mound, Dombrowski announced where things stand in the Phillies' plans to call him up, saying the team has projected his debut to happen sometime in July. But he added that could change depending on how Painter continues to develop in the minors and where things might stand with the Phillies' other starters by that point.
"If your other five starting pitchers are pitching great, well, he just keeps going there and you figure it out," Dombrowski said. "He needs to get out there, get better command on a consistent basis and improve the sharpness on some of his pitches."
With enviable pitching depth, the Phillies aren't necessarily desperate to call up Painter this season. But as they look to make a deep playoff run, it seems likely to happen at some point this summer. After all, there's no such thing as too much pitching.
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