The Philadelphia Phillies have a rising star in starting pitcher Andrew Painter. The young 22-year-old standout has been working his way back from Tommy John surgery and is finally set to make his debut this year, a time that Phillies fans can't wait for. Through 38 combined minor league starts, he holds a 9-6 record, 2.34 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 224 strikeouts in 161 1/3 innings.
The thought of having another top arm in the Phillies' rotation feels like an embarrassment of riches at this point. The studs they currently roll with in their starting five, outside of Aaron Nola being sidelined with injury, have been phenomenal. The wait to see Painter in red pinstripes has been unbearable for the fan base, and that patience continues to wane as other top prospects across Major League Baseball make their debuts for their respective clubs.
With other top prospects debuting across MLB, the Phillies are content making us wait for Andrew Painter
Top prospects are always exciting, but for the Phillies to miss out so far, seems cruel. Jac Caglianone, a massive power bat, made his debut for the Kansas City Royals in early June. Then you had infielder Christian Moore debuting for the Los Angeles Angels. Two more power arms in the Milwaukee Brewers' Jacob Misiorowski and the Cincinnati Reds' Chase Burns also made their debuts recently.
Even the Boston Red Sox have managed to have their big-three, Kristian Campbell, Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony, debut this season. Anthony, who Painter dominated in his Triple-A debut, is currently the No. 1 overall prospect in baseball. Yet, the Phillies are still sitting on their own top prospect, who also happens to be the top pitcher in the prospect rankings.
Luckily, Phillies fans won't have to wait much longer as the Phillies are looking to use the All-Star break as a shutdown period for Painter in Triple-a, Lehigh Valley. The break will give him a chance to recover for innings at the MLB level down the stretch. According to Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia, the plan is for him to be an immediate starter. The idea is his debut will look to come shortly after in late July.
Rob Thomson on Andrew Painter - he said they plan to rest/shutdown Painter through the All-Star break
— Devan Kaney (@Devan_Kaney) May 30, 2025
He said he doesn’t think Painter will be brought up before the break in July: pic.twitter.com/UUb9zLs41Q
According to MLB.com's Paul Casella, the Phillies could potentially look at July 18 through July 23, , a six-game homestand, for Painter's debut. The Phillies are keeping other options in mind, but a debut at Citizens Bank Park is a must for the Phillies' home crowd.
One thing to note is that the Phillies aren't just going to give Painter the keys to the city right away. According to Tim Kelly of On Pattison, Painter is getting the same treatment as any other minor leaguer. They want Painter to remain engaged in his recovery and earn his promotion just like anyone else itching for major league action. Currently, Painter has a 4.24 ERA with 10.04 K/9 and 4.02 BB/9 through nine Triple-A starts and has had to battle through some adversity.
Thought this was interesting stuff from Rob Thomson to @ReluctantSE and myself regarding Andrew Painter.
— Tim Kelly (@TimKellySports) June 22, 2025
I think he’ll still be here this year, but the Phillies seem very committed to treating him like every Triple-A player and making him earn a promotion. pic.twitter.com/OyCMzBCB5C
It can be frustrating seeing all the great talent debut across the league and just waiting for the Phillies to strike while the iron is hot. The notoriety will be apparent when Painter is here toeing the rubber for the Phillies. All eyes will be on Painter when he takes the mound for the very first time. But Phillies fans, along with everyone else, just have to wait a little bit longer.