The Philadelphia Phillies currently boast the best record in baseball, largely due to their exceptional starting rotation. Led by standout performances from Zack Wheeler, Jesús Luzardo, Cristopher Sánchez, and Ranger Suárez, the Phillies have racked up more strikeouts than any other team in MLB.
They also have reinforcements on the horizon. Veteran starter Aaron Nola is rehabbing an ankle injury, Taijuan Walker has shifted to a bullpen role, and top prospect Mick Abel recently made an impressive big-league debut earlier this month.
Adding to that depth is the Phillies’ top prospect, Andrew Painter, who is steadily working toward his major league debut. Coming off Tommy John surgery in 2023, Painter has made three starts at Triple-A this season, posting a 2.25 ERA and striking out 15 batters over 12 innings.
As his performance continues to turn heads, the Phillies are closely monitoring his progress with a potential call-up in the coming weeks. “He’s doing very well health-wise, and his stuff keeps getting better,” said Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski on “The Show” podcast. “He’s progressing the way we hoped.”
Dombrowski noted that the team is aiming for a July debut for Painter, but emphasized that the timeline could shift depending on his continued development and the status of the current rotation.
“If your other five starters are pitching great, he keeps developing in Triple-A and we figure it out from there,” Dombrowski said. “He needs to keep working on command and refining a few pitches.”
With their rotation performing at a high level, the Phillies don’t feel immediate pressure to rush Painter. Still, with playoff aspirations in mind, it seems likely he’ll get his shot later this summer. After all, you can never have too much pitching.
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