Andrew Painter Won't Pitch in Games in Spring Training for the Phillies

You've waited a long time for Andrew Painter to pitch for the Phillies. Get ready to wait a little bit longer. 

Painter, the Phillies top prospect who many had hoped would be part of the Phillies rotation entering the 2023 season, likely won't debut for the team until July, according to President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski.

With the trade over the weekend for Jesus Luzardo and the signing Monday of swingman Joe Ross, the Phillies now have the starting pitching depth necessary to manage Painter's workload in a way that would best help the team in 2025 and beyond. 

Cleveland Guardians top prospect Chase DeLauter on Andrew Painter:

“He's definitely a top-notch arm. I mean, he’s one of the best pitchers I’ve probably seen up to this point, elite stuff. There's a lot of strikes with anything he's got, so those at-bats are really fun.” pic.twitter.com/OfMp4R89hB

— Phillies Tailgate (@PhilsTailgate) November 13, 2024

"He'll throw, but we do not plan on pitching him in spring training," Dombrowski said during a press call on Monday. "We're going to push the innings back. Andrew understands the plan. We think it's a good plan. He'll build up at some point through the minors. He'll have to build up some extended program. Some of it in the minors but we're going to save a lot of his innings until we get to July-ish for the Big League level."

Dombrowski then hinted it could still be June, but backed away from providing further details. 

In October, Painter pitched in a game for the first time since coming off of Tommy John surgery in the summer of 2023. He appeared in six games in the Arizona Fall League and tossed 15 2/3 innings and was as dominant as when he blew away hitters in Single-A and Double-A as a teenager in 2022. 

The @Phillies' Andrew Painter with an autumn-high six punchouts today.

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

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) November 12, 2024

He allowed just 10 hits and four walks all while striking out 18.