Phillies Hope Andrew Painter Makes the Opening Day Rotation
The Philadelphia Phillies "hope" that top pitching prospect Andrew Painter will make the Opening Day rotation, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic. Painter was the Phillies' first-round pick in 2021, but he missed the entire 2023 and 2024 seasons due to Tommy John surgery, pushing back the ETA for his MLB debut. He tossed 118 innings in the minors last year, which was his highest innings total since being drafted. More than 106 of those innings came at Triple-A, where he posted a 4.34 xFIP, 9.4 K/9, and 3.9 BB/9. He allowed a significant amount of loud contact, but despite some of the concerning metrics, he looked healthy for the first time since 2022. His health will put him in the mix for the No. 5 starter role when the Phillies break camp in a couple of months. His chances to make the rotation are higher than ever with Ranger Suarez departing in free agency and Zack Wheeler (shoulder) still recovering. As it stands, Painter ranks as the #102 starting pitcher in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball draft rankings for 2026.
Source: Matt Gelb
Source: Matt Gelb
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