Source: Andrew Painter joining Phillies before Friday’s game vs. Orioles
The team hasn’t announced a starting pitcher for the series opener against the Orioles, but it’s Painter's scheduled day to pitch for triple-A Lehigh Valley.
BALTIMORE — Andrew Painter is about to get his second chance.
Painter will meet the Phillies in Baltimore on Friday, a major-league source said, confirming a report from NBC Sports Philadelphia. The team hasn’t announced a roster move — or a starting pitcher for the series opener against the Orioles, but it’s the touted 23-year-old righty’s scheduled day to pitch for triple-A Lehigh Valley.
The Phillies have lost three games in a row and nine of 12 since the All-Star break.
» READ MORE: Brandon Marsh learned a lot clawing out of his last slump. He’s relying on those lessons to get right again.
With the trade deadline looming at 6 p.m. Monday, the Phillies are still looking to fill multiple needs, according to league sources. Among them: a back-end starter. The Phillies are 5-21 from the fifth-starter spot that was originally occupied by Painter, including 11 losses in a row.
The Phillies have fanned out their scouts in recent weeks to get looks at various pitchers, including the pending free agents Clay Holmes (Mets), Kevin Gausman (Blue Jays), and Robbie Ray (Giants). One rival evaluator theorized the Phillies could reduce the prospect return by paying down the remainder of a contract. Gausman and Ray, for instance, are each owed roughly $8 million through the end of the season.
Painter, untouchable in previous trade talks, began the season in the majors but got demoted in mid-June with a 7.06 ERA in 14 games (12 starts). His bread-and-butter fastball was particularly ineffective, with opponents hitting .404 and slugging .660 against it.
“Most of it is delivery-oriented,” president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said at the time. “That’s what it comes down to. Because when he’s done some things with his delivery, which is going more directly to the plate rather than spinning off, he’s had more life. And you see it at times.”
Painter has a 4.56 ERA in five triple-A starts, though he has allowed two or fewer runs in four starts and completed the sixth inning twice. Last week, he allowed a total of three runs on 12 hits in 11 innings over two starts, including one run in six innings Sunday. The Phillies were particularly encouraged that he walked only one batter, none Sunday.
But interim manager Don Mattingly didn’t indicate that a call-up for Painter was imminent. Painter’s status, presumably beyond Friday, will hinge on the Phillies’ ability to trade for a veteran starter who could slot in behind Cristopher Sánchez, Zack Wheeler, and Jesús Luzardo and alongside Aaron Nola.
» READ MORE: The Phillies do ‘need some help’ by trades. But they also need some from Bryce Harper and his teammates.
Mattingly, however, didn’t seem to indicate that a return for Painter was imminent.
“I think when we sent Paint out, it was not going to be something that we’re like, ‘Oh, Paint, now he’s ready. Now he’s good,’” Mattingly said last weekend. “It was going to be, let’s let Andrew develop. Let’s let him pitch. Let’s let him work and keep getting better. And then, we’ll see him again.”
It now appears the Phillies will see Painter on Friday.
This is a developing story.
No matter what moves the Phillies make before the trade deadline Monday, they will have to fix some of their issues internally. Chief among them: Trea Turner's defense at shortstop. And that's where infield coach Bobby Dickerson comes in. Dickerson sat down with "Phillies Extra," The Inquirer's baseball podcast, to discuss Turner's struggles, the problems with analytics in measuring defense, his unique coaching style, and more. Watch here.
You can also subscribe to the podcast version of Phillies Extra on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
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