But what happens when he actually arrives? That’s where things get fun.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson hopped on the airwaves with 94.1 WIP’s Morning Show on Thursday, offering the usual February updates. Who’s in shape. Who’s looking good. Who still needs to remember that running poles is, in fact, a thing that exists. But then, he dropped the line that sent Phillies fans into a frenzy:
If and when Andrew Painter gets called up in 2025, he’s not just showing up to get his feet wet. He’s coming to be one of the guys in the rotation.
"Most definitely would be one of our starters," Thomson said. No maybe. No hedging. Just straight to the point. Like a well-placed Zack Wheeler fastball.
Now, if you’re counting at home (and I know you are), that makes six legitimate big-league starters. Wheeler. Nola. Ranger. Sanchez. Luzardo. And now, Painter? That’s a whole lot of arms for a five-man rotation. So what’s the plan?
How about a six-man rotation? Yep, that’s the likely solution, according to Thomson. And you don’t need to be a Hall of Fame baseball writer (though I do know one or two!) to recognize how rare that would be in modern baseball.
But here’s why it just might work.
Painter is no ordinary prospect. The 20-year-old right-hander spent most of 2024 rehabbing from Tommy John surgery before making his triumphant return in the Arizona Fall League. And what did he do there? Oh, just post a 2.30 ERA in 15 2/3 innings with an absurd .089 WHIP and a 68% strike rate. He struck out 18 and walked just four. He was named Arizona Fall League Player of the Year. He was, in a word, dominant.
So now the Phillies find themselves in an enviable—if complicated—spot. If Painter is ready by midseason, they’ll have six starters, a deep bullpen, and enough quality arms to keep workloads in check for a team with World Series aspirations.
Too many starters? That’s a problem any manager in baseball would love to have.
And for the Phillies, it’s not just about 2025. It’s about ensuring that by the time October rolls around, their rotation isn’t just good. It’s scary good.
So yes, Andrew Painter is coming. And when he gets here? It’s going to be one heck of a show.
