The Philadelphia Phillies received a much-needed dose of positive news regarding rookie pitcher Andrew Painter after the young right-hander was forced to leave Wednesday night’s game against the Washington Nationals earlier than expected.
Painter’s rookie campaign has been anything but smooth. The 23-year-old entered the outing with a 1-8 record and a 6.72 ERA, and his recent struggles had become increasingly noticeable. In each of his previous five starts, Painter had surrendered at least one run in the opening inning, putting additional pressure on himself and the Phillies almost immediately.
That trend continued Wednesday when Painter allowed a run in the first inning against Washington. However, unlike some of his recent outings, he gradually found his rhythm and began settling into the game. He struck out four batters while throwing 63 pitches and appeared to be gaining control before the Phillies unexpectedly removed him in the bottom of the fourth inning.
The early departure initially raised concerns within the Philadelphia organization, particularly because the team is relying heavily on its young starter during an important stretch of the season.
Initial reports indicated that Painter was dealing with tightness in his left hamstring. Given the importance of his role in the rotation, the Phillies were expected to conduct additional evaluations before determining whether the issue would affect his next scheduled start.
Fortunately for Philadelphia, those fears appear to have been eased.
According to The Athletic’s Matt Gelb, Phillies manager Don Mattingly provided an encouraging update on Painter, indicating that the pitcher is expected to make his next scheduled start. That news represents a significant relief for the club, which cannot afford to lose another rotation option at this point in the season.
Painter may have struggled statistically during his first stretch in the majors, but the Phillies continue to see considerable potential in him. When he is able to get through the difficult opening portion of his starts, the rookie has shown flashes of the ability that made him one of the organization’s most highly regarded pitching prospects.
His continued development is particularly important because Philadelphia did not make a major addition to its starting rotation before the trade deadline. As a result, the Phillies are expected to lean more heavily on Painter in the weeks ahead rather than relying on a newly acquired starter.
The club has occasionally used a bullpen-heavy approach to cover innings, with Tim Mayza serving as an unconventional starter. Mayza has made four starts in that role and has been highly effective, carrying a 1.42 ERA while pitching as many as 6 1/3 innings in one of those appearances. Still, using a reliever to open games on a regular basis is not an ideal long-term solution for a team with postseason ambitions.
That makes Painter’s health even more important.
The Phillies also received another encouraging injury update involving outfielder Derek Hill. Hill was forced out of Wednesday’s game after crashing into the center-field wall, creating another concern for Philadelphia.
However, the early indications are that Hill avoided a serious injury and could potentially have been available off the bench for Thursday’s series finale. Although Mattingly ultimately did not use him, the fact that Hill avoided an expected stint on the injured list is another positive development for the Phillies.
Hill has quietly become a useful contributor since joining Philadelphia in June. He has produced a .268 batting average, a .307 on-base percentage and a .507 slugging percentage, along with five home runs and 13 RBIs.
With the Phillies navigating a demanding portion of the schedule, maintaining the health of both Painter and Hill could prove crucial. Painter’s expected return would help preserve stability in the starting rotation, while Hill’s availability gives Philadelphia another dependable offensive and defensive option.
For a team attempting to remain firmly in the postseason picture, the news surrounding both players provides a welcome sense of relief after what initially looked like a potentially damaging night on the injury front.
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