Lesson learned in third spring start for Andrew Painter, who’s showing ‘the mentality of a big leaguer’

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Andrew Painter mislocated a two-strike changeup to a right-handed hitter in the second inning here Friday, so his catcher thought it was time for a different pitch.

Such as?

“Everything,” Garrett Stubbs said.

But Painter was insistent. Twice, he shook off Stubbs, who called for the fastball and slider before finally relenting. Left to his own devices, the Phillies’ best pitching prospect since Cole Hamels uncorked another changeup, low and away this time, and got a swinging strikeout.

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Does that sound like a timid 22-year-old to you?

It’s still spring training, so go ahead and apply all the usual provisos about incomplete lineups, artificial results, and glorified practice. But less than two weeks before opening day, Painter isn’t approaching spring training like someone who is trying to make a team.

Making his third Grapefruit League start, Painter looked solid for two innings against Pete Alonso and the Zombie Orioles before giving up his first runs of the spring on a two-run homer to touted catcher Samuel Basallo and a double to Bryan Ramos in the third.

“I didn’t really put myself in good counts, fell behind early, and that causes me to get a little aim-y with everything,” Painter said. “Everything moves better when it’s quick, when it’s upbeat, when the tempo’s fast.”

Lesson learned. There will be others along the way. That’s how it is, especially for rookie pitchers. But Painter is zooming toward a major league debut that is three years in the making, and the Phillies are understandably excited.

“If you’re having to think of 99 [mph], and then a sweeper, a little downer slider, and a changeup as a right-handed hitter, you know, good luck,” Stubbs said. “I don’t want to do it.”

Painter chose this start to focus on the changeup. He threw only four, but two came against right-handed hitters. It’s unusual for pitchers to use a changeup against same-side batters, but Painter broke off two in a row to the Orioles’ José Barrero.

“I feel comfortable throwing it to both sides,” Painter said. “I feel good going right-on-right, and that just elevates the heater, too. Everything. It elevates the whole arsenal when I have that working.”

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Stubbs caught Painter last season in triple A but couldn’t recall many right-on-right changeups. But team officials maintain Painter wasn’t himself then. It takes time to get back to normal after Tommy John elbow surgery. The first year is often the toughest, and Painter had a 5.40 ERA in 22 starts for Lehigh Valley.

The Phillies believe this year will be different.

But it does beg the question of what realistic expectations look like for a rookie who will turn 23 in April. Would you sign for 125 innings and a 4.50 ERA from Painter? Since 2021, only nine pitchers have met those thresholds at age 23 or younger, including Paul Skenes twice (22 and 23).

Every team has internal projections for players throughout the sport. Few clubs share those numbers. ZiPS, a public-facing projection model, has Painter for a 4.80 ERA in 108 innings.

In any case, Painter is passing almost every spring-training test. He waged two seven-pitch duels with Alonso, a premier slugger in the sport. And although Painter gave up two singles, Stubbs noted that both were hit on the ground.

“The more reps you get against those guys are always better,” Painter said. “It’s just feedback. It’s all feedback at that point.”

Said Stubbs: “Any big-time big leaguer that you face, you’re getting a feel for, ‘Can my stuff get these guys out?’ He’s got confidence. He’s a confident, collected kid, so it just helps him grow even more every time he gets to face somebody like that.”

It also enables the Phillies’ collective imagination to keep running wild with Painter’s potential.

“I think he’s showing his poise, and he’s showing that he has the mentality of a big leaguer,” manager Rob Thomson said. “Going through the trials and tribulations that he went through last year has helped him. I know that may sound funny, but it has.

“He’s pitched well.”

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Alec Bohm hit a pair of two-run home runs, both on changeups, in an 11-8 win over the Orioles. He took Orioles lefty Cade Povich deep in the first inning, then got righty Tyler Wells in the fifth. ... Tanner Banks, José Alvarado, and Jhoan Duran threw one clean inning apiece. Alvarado punctuated the fifth by dialing up 100.2 mph on a strikeout of Basallo, the touted Orioles rookie. ... Outfielder Bryan De La Cruz, a candidate for the last bench spot, had two hits and is 9-for-27 overall. ... The Phillies are 7-11-1.

“It’s kind of double-edged, right? Because they don’t count, but obviously it’s a sign of good things going on in your swing. ... So, yeah, it’s meaningful. For me, it’s just kind of like a checkpoint.” — Bohm on a two-homer game in spring training

Infield prospect Aroon Escobar was among four players reassigned to minor-league camp. Infielders Carson DeMartini and Bryan Rincon and outfielder Dylan Campbell also were sent out. There are 54 players left in camp.

The Phillies will make the 17-mile trip to play the Yankees in Tampa at 1:05 p.m. Saturday (NBC Sports Philadelphia+, 94.1 WIP). In Clearwater, Zack Wheeler will take another step from thoracic outlet decompression surgery by facing hitters in a 20-ish-pitch live batting practice. Reliever Orion Kerkering (hamstring) also is scheduled to face hitters.