PHILADELPHIA— Many Phillies fans finished the 2024 season with disappointment in their hearts. After a tremendous regular season and consecutive deep playoff runs, Philadelphia fans expected more of the same. Alas, a second-round upset by their rivals, the New York Mets, left a sour taste amongst local baseball fans.
Once the off-season began, so did the discourse of who the Phillies needed to add. Trading for players X and Y, while signing player Z could change their trajectory back to the World Series title. While the fanbase has many ideas, we will ultimately need to wait for the off-season to play out.
As the days on the calendar pass by, we get closer and closer to Spring Training. Once spring hits, all eyes will shift in Philadelphia. Instead of checking social media for player additions, fans will soon have Andrew Painter fever.
The young phenom might have lost some buzz around town the last couple of seasons as he dealt with Tommy John surgery. One of the top pitching prospects in the game is not only healthy but ready to make an impact in 2025.
Painter Shines in Fall League
When it was announced that Andrew Painter would be pitching in the Arizona Fall League, I admittedly disagreed with the decision. I felt as though Painter should be given the extra time to rest and really make sure that his arm had completely healed. This was also looking from the outside in, as I certainly did not have access to his medical reports.
The Phillies did send their top prospect down south to get exhibition work. In total, Painter pitched in six games, making six starts. In those outings, he pitched a combined 15.2 innings, usually tossing two to three innings in each game.
Andrew shined in his limited opportunities. He pitched to a 2.30 earned run average, punching out eighteen batters and walking four. In his final start, he struck out six batters, showing his growth throughout each chance to pitch. The Phillies sent Rob Thomson and other staff members to watch Painter work and came away impressed with their young arm.
After the Arizona Fall League, Painter was named the AFL Pitcher of the Year. As you can infer by the name, the award is given to the best pitcher. Andrew fit the bill, adding another accolade to his collection.
Phillies Rotation Outlook
When the Phillies break camp and head North in March, I expect Andrew Painter to make the team. A starting rotation of Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez, and Andrew Painter would easily be the best in professional baseball.
The club does have Taijuan Walker on the active roster as well. While Walker’s 2024 season could not have gone any worse, the team does have a large investment in the veteran pitcher. He is still under contract for two more seasons at 18 million dollars per year. If Taijuan can pitch well in Spring Training, the Phillies can open with a six-man rotation. Considering the number of innings their starters tossed in 2024, it will be a topic of discussion amongst the front office.
I do not expect the team to add another front-line starter to their rotation in the off-season. There is potential for depth additions to minor league contracts, with a Spring Training invite. These would be players similar to and potentially include Kolby Allard, Spencer Turnbull, and Michael Lorenzen.
Despite how this off-season shakes out in Philly, the Philadelphia Phillies expect Andrew Painter to pay big dividends in 2025. While his injury may have taken him slightly out of the limelight, expect the buzz to return when pitchers and catchers report in February.
Mandatory Photo Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
