At long last, Andrew Painter is making his long-awaited season debut. On Friday, April 11, the Philadelphia Phillies No. 1 prospect will begin his journey toward an inevitable major league debut later this season.
The 22-year-old right-hander is lined up to start tonight for the Single-A Clearwater Threshers (2-4). He'll take the ball against the Daytona Tortugas (3-3), the Cincinnati Reds' Florida State League affiliate. Painter will be making his first start of the year in familiar surroundings in front of a home crowd at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater.
How can Phillies fans watch Andrew Painter's start on Friday?
First pitch in the Threshers and Tortugas game is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET.
Fans who are already subscribers to MLB.TV and the MLB app can watch any minor league affiliate game this season. All minor league games are also available on MiLB.TV, on the web, and in the MiLB app.
If you don't have a subscription, don't worry! The Threshers-Tortugas game is one of the free games on Friday night, meaning fans don't need a subscription to watch Painter take the bump. Just navigate over to MLB.com, MLB Pipeline or MiLB.com.
Plus, there's more good news. With the Phillies in St. Louis to open a three-game series against the Cardinals, with an 8:15 p.m. ET first pitch, fans will have plenty of time to watch Painter's outing before switching over to watch the big league club.
Andrew Painter making first affiliated start since September 2022
Painter, the Phillies' first-round draft pick in 2021, has had a long road back since undergoing Tommy John surgery in July 2023. The MLB Pipeline No. 7 overall prospect didn't pitch for the Phillies in spring training, as the organization is slow playing his build-up this season. They expect Painter to debut some time in July.
Painter gave Phillies fans a tantalizing taste when he pitched in the Arizona Fall League (AFL) last year. He sizzled in those outings, earning the AFL Pitcher of the Year Award. He posted a 2-0 record with a 2.30 ERA and 0.89 WHIP, giving up just one home run and four walks while recording 18 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings.
The @Phillies' Andrew Painter with an autumn-high six punchouts today.
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) November 12, 2024
In likely his final appearance of the year, MLB's No. 32 prospect raises his totals to 18 strikeouts over 15 2/3 Fall League innings. pic.twitter.com/4gOlP2g3wS