This promising Phillies prospect faces renewed pressure after Tatsuya Imai decision

The Philadelphia Phillies did not have an overwhelming need to add a starting pitcher in free agency this offseason, despite Ranger Suárez being a free agent. A team can never have enough pitchers over the grind of a long season, though.

Rumors connected the Phillies to free agent pitcher Tatsuya Imai, despite their starting pitching being a strength. However, the Japanese pitcher agreed to a multi-year deal with the Houston Astros last week.

Cristopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo, Zack Wheeler, and Aaron Nola will be featured in the Phillies' rotation this season. Taijuan Walker will compete for a rotation spot in spring training. Prospect Andrew Painter, who is expected to compete with Walker this spring, has more pressure on him in his major league debut season following the franchise's decision not to sign Imai.

Pressure is on Andrew Painter to excel after Phillies don't add Tatsuya Imai or any other starter

There are high expectations for Painter to be a significant part of the Phillies' rotation for the next several seasons. He has the potential to be the ace of the staff, and performing like anything less than a reliable second starter would be a disappointment for the club.

Some Phillies fans, members of the local Philadelphia media, and MLB journalists may consider it a failure if the team's No. 1 prospect doesn't perform consistently like a No. 1 starter who is regularly in the hunt for the NL Cy Young Award.

There were rumors leading up to the 2024 trade deadline that if the Phillies included Painter in a multi-player trade with the Chicago White Sox, they might have acquired starter Garrett Crochet. Philadelphia may have also had to include either Aidan Miller or Justin Crawford in the trade as well. The Boston Red Sox acquired the lefty Crochet in exchange for four prospects last offseason, three of whom ranked in the Red Sox's top 20, per MLB Pipeline.

Following Crochet's excellent first year in Boston, in which he finished as the runner-up for the AL Cy Young Award, it may have been worth the risk for the Phillies to part with two of their top-ranked prospects, one of them being Painter, to acquire Crochet. Painter has a lot to live up to, and he needs to be involved in the Cy Young Award conversation at some point during his career.

In his first season since 2022, coming back from Tommy John surgery, Painter experienced an up-and-down year in the minors (subscription required). He spent the majority of last season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

The 13th overall selection of the 2021 MLB Draft finished 5-6 with a 5.40 ERA, a 1.55 WHIP, 111 strikeouts, and 46 walks in 22 starts with the IronPigs. Overall, with the Single-A Clearwater Threshers and Lehigh Valley, he compiled a 5-8 record with a 5.26 ERA, a 1.49 WHIP, 123 strikeouts, and 47 walks in 26 starts.

Based on his inconsistent season, it is debatable whether he should begin the year with the Phillies or the IronPigs. It wouldn't hinder his development if he started the 2026 season in Lehigh Valley, considering he missed two full seasons in 2023 and 2024 recovering from a serious surgery.

The Phillies shouldn't fast-track Painter's development. Fans need to remember to temper their expectations with the 22-year-old's first major league season. He has elite skills for a pitcher his age and he will experience his fair share of inconsistencies with the Phillies this year. Nonetheless, there will be pressure for success or at least encouraging signs in 2026 that he has a prominent future in the club's rotation.