The Phillies need a fifth starter.
Andrew Painter still needs time to become one.
Those realities may be inconvenient as the trade deadline approaches, but Philadelphia should not force them into the same solution simply because its internal alternatives have failed.
Painter has delivered legitimate progress at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. In two starts against Indianapolis last week, the 23-year-old allowed three runs over 11 innings, struck out 14 and walked only one. He followed five innings with eight strikeouts Tuesday by allowing one run without a walk over six innings Sunday.
That is exactly what the Phillies wanted to see when they sent him back to the minors.
It is not yet enough to make him the answer to their rotation problem.
Painter’s first major-league stint produced a 1-8 record, a 7.06 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP across 65 innings. He allowed 84 hits and 14 home runs, and opponents batted .316 against him. Those numbers do not erase his potential, but they illustrate how far he was from providing dependable innings every fifth day.
Interim manager Don Mattingly did not sound Sunday like someone preparing to reverse course after one encouraging week.
"When we sent Paint (Painter) down, it was not gonna be something that 'Oh Paint's doing something (good). Now he's ready.' It was gonna be let Andrew develop, let him pitch. Let's let him work. Keep getting better. And then when's he's ready, we'll see him again." Mattingly said, according to Jeff Kerr of Phillies On SI.
That is the proper approach.
Painter’s assignment at Lehigh Valley was not supposed to function as a brief timeout until the Phillies became desperate enough to summon him again. It was intended to give him room to correct the issues that major-league hitters repeatedly exposed.
His velocity was not the problem. His four-seam fastball still carried premium speed, but it lacked consistent command and effectiveness. Opponents batted .404 and slugged .660 against the pitch during Painter’s major-league stint. The Phillies also identified delivery inconsistencies that prevented him from moving directly toward the plate and producing the same life from pitch to pitch.
Those problems require more than two successful outings.
The Phillies remain confident that Painter will eventually become an important part of their rotation. That belief has not changed.
“I don’t think any of us doubt that he can pitch here,” Mattingly said after Painter was optioned. “It’s just a matter of ironing things out.”
The ironing-out process appears to be moving in the right direction. It should also be allowed to continue.
Philadelphia’s urgency creates the temptation to rush him. The club has not won a game started by anyone outside its established top four since May 18, turning the fifth spot into a recurring disadvantage. Painter, Alan Rangel and several temporary arrangements have failed to provide stability behind Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo and Aaron Nola.
But organizational need should not determine whether a young pitcher has completed his development.
Painter missed the entire 2023 and 2024 seasons following Tommy John surgery. His path to the majors was interrupted at the exact point when most pitching prospects are building innings, refining command and learning how to adjust when their best pitch is not working.
His talent accelerated expectations. His first major-league experience demonstrated that the process could not be skipped.
Painter needs to repeat his delivery, locate his fastball more effectively and establish secondary pitches that can protect him when hitters sit on velocity. He also needs to demonstrate those improvements across several starts rather than one productive week.
That does not mean he cannot return later this season. Another month of efficient outings could change the conversation. Sustained command and stronger fastball results could earn him another opportunity before October.
The opportunity should be earned, however, not granted because Philadelphia has exhausted its other options.
Dave Dombrowski should approach the deadline with the fifth-starter spot still listed among the Phillies’ needs. They do not require another ace. They need a reliable veteran capable of providing competitive innings, protecting the bullpen and preventing every fifth game from beginning at a disadvantage.
Painter may eventually become considerably more than that.
Right now, the Phillies cannot confuse his encouraging progress with completed development. Their postseason pursuit requires dependability. Painter’s future requires enough patience to ensure that his next promotion is not another temporary one.
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