The Philadelphia Phillies have some uncertainties in their starting rotation at the beginning of spring training. When will Zack Wheeler make his regular season debut? Will Aaron Nola bounce back from an uncharacteristically bad season? What sort of year will rookie Andrew Painter have?
With Ranger Suárez now with the Boston Red Sox, the Phillies have a void to fill among their starting pitchers. They are hoping Painter can begin to fulfill his potential and be a solid option at the bottom of the rotation. Can the promising right-hander rebound after making a key adjustment to his mechanics this offseason?
Phillies expect Andrew Painter to look like his elite self following an offseason adjustment
According to an X post (formerly Twitter) by SportsRadio 94 WIP's Jack Fritz, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is confident Painter can regain his top form from before the top prospect underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023.
Painter's main problem was with his arm slot on his fastball, according to Fritz. Dombrowski said Painter got his arm slot back over the winter to where it was before his surgery.
Last year was an inconsistent season for the 13th overall pick of the 2021 MLB Draft. He totaled a 5-8 record, a 5.26 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, and 123 strikeouts in 26 starts with the Clearwater Threshers and Lehigh Valley IronPigs last year.
Painter's fastball is the key pitch that will make the right-hander an exceptional pitcher. Before his surgery, he had nearly a 30 percent whiff rate and an OPS of just .650 on the heater, Fritz notes.
One of the more encouraging things that Dombrowski said yesterday was about Andrew Painter getting his arm slot back to where it was before Tommy John on his fastball.
— Jack Fritz (@JackFritzWIP) February 10, 2026
It dropped last year as the fatigue set in and got crushed (an OPS over 1.000).
He needs that pitch to be a…
In 2022, Painter showed he could be a top pitcher. The Pompano Beach, Florida, native compiled a 6-2 record, a 1.56 ERA, 155 strikeouts, and a 0.89 WHIP in 22 starts with the Threshers, Jersey Shore BlueClaws, and Reading Fightin Phils.
Painter has an opportunity to seize in Clearwater, Florida. Manager Rob Thomson said that Wheeler will not be ready for the start of the regular season as he is still working his way back from surgery for venous thoracic outlet syndrome. Painter is expected to contribute as the fifth starter in Philadelphia's rotation even when Wheeler is ready to return.
The 22-year-old right-hander has high expectations in his rookie season. While it would be a good sign if Painter displays his elite form regularly this year, the expectations of the Phillies fan base should be kept in check. He may suffer inconsistencies as he adjusts to the majors. It would be thrilling if it happened, but fans shouldn't expect Painter to have a year like Pittsburgh Pirates phenom Paul Skenes had in 2024 when he received the NL Rookie of the Year Award.