Player News

• Phillies' Andrew Painter: Extended spring games coming soon

  3D ago • By RotoWire

  Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Monday that Painter will begin pitching in extended spring training games in a couple weeks, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports. Painter is considered healthy, but the Phillies slow-played him this spring after he missed nearly all of the last two seasons due to Tommy John surgery in July 2023. He will build up in extended spring training games and eventually the minors before becoming an option to join the Phillies' rotation around midseason.

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• Phillies' Andrew Painter: Throws first live BP

  13D ago • By RotoWire

  Painter threw his first live batting practice session of the spring Friday, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports. Painter entered Phillies camp fully healthy, but the club has been bringing him along slowly this spring after he missed nearly all of the last two seasons due to Tommy John surgery in July 2023. He will not make any Grapefruit League appearances and is expected to remain at extended spring training initially as he continues a slow build-up. Painter could be a rotation option for the Phillies around midseason.

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• Phillies' Andrew Painter: Changes up repertoire, preparations

  29D ago • By RotoWire

  Painter has ditched his cutter and added a changeup as his fourth pitch, per Matt Gelb of The Athletic. Painter is in camp with the big-league club but will not pitch in spring games, as the Phillies look to preserve the workload of their prized prospect in his return from 2023 Tommy John surgery. The 21-year-old threw 15.2 frames in the Arizona Fall League last year, posting a 2.30 ERA and 18:4 K:BB, and he impressed his pitching coach, Caleb Cotham, in the process with a refined pitch mix that Painter is expected to carry forward into 2025. Painter is also reportedly throwing bullpens at a lower intensity this spring compared to past camps as he prepares to make his major-league debut this summer. Gelb previously suggested back in January that 80 or so big-league innings could be the target for Painter in his debut season.

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• Phillies' Andrew Painter: Back to form

  11/11/2024 • By RotoWire

  Painter has a 2.08 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 12 strikeouts and two walks in 13 innings through five Arizona Fall League starts. He last pitched three scoreless and hitless frames Tuesday, and could make a final AFL appearance this week. Prior to the fall league, Painter hadn't pitched since 2022, yet he leads qualified AFL pitchers in ERA and WHIP. He has used all four of his pitches this fall, with his four-seam fastball up to 99 mph and averaging 97 mph, per Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com. His stuff is all the way back as is his control, which was part of what made Painter such a special prospect before Tommy John surgery. It's unclear if the Phillies will ease Painter into action at Triple-A or give him a shot to win a job in the big-league rotation out of spring training. He threw 103.2 innings in 2022 and will finish with just under 20 innings this fall, so a potentially capped, unpredictable workload is the main drawback with the 21-year-old righty in redraft leagues.

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• Phillies' Andrew Painter: Added to AFL roster

  10/07/2024 • By RotoWire

  Painter (elbow) will pitch for the Glendale Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports. Painter began throwing off a mound in July as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery and the Phillies have decided to send their top pitching prospect to the AFL so he can face hitters prior to the offseason. It will be his first game action since 2022. Provided he makes a full recovery and regains his pre-surgery stuff, Painter is a good bet to contribute in the majors at some point in 2025.

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