Andrew Painter blanks the Braves for four innings in last spring start

NORTH PORT, Fla. — Mauricio Dubón could only stare in disbelief.

A changeup from Andrew Painter dove under the Atlanta shortstop’s bat, landing right in the waiting mitt of Rafael Marchán for the third strike. Dubón glanced at Painter with a smile as he walked off.

With a full count on the right-handed Dubón, Marchán had called for a slider, a sweeper, and a heater. Painter shook him off each time until he called for the changeup.

“I figured it wasn’t on the scouting report,” Painter said. “I feel like those long at-bats where they see a lot of spin, they see heaters in and sliders away. So it’s how can I keep them guessing, and right-on-right changeup is probably the answer there.”

Facing a Braves lineup of mostly regulars — including Dubón, Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies, Michael Harris II, and Drake Baldwin — for his final Grapefruit League start, Painter cruised for four scoreless innings Wednesday. In a 3-2 loss to the Braves, he allowed one hit, a double by Luke Williams, and issued just one walk.

Painter threw 52 pitches in the game and then 15 more in the bullpen afterward to increase his pitch count.

All his pitches were working well, but his slider in particular had a 50% whiff rate and was effective against some of Atlanta’s tough lefties. Albies lined out and Olson popped out on the pitch.

“After today, the confidence should be pretty high,” manager Rob Thomson said. “I mean, he took down a pretty good lineup. And his stuff was excellent. Slider was really good. Fastball command was really good. He drove the ball down in the zone with his fastball. And when he needed to go up, he went up.

“So that was his best outing. That was the best outing I’ve personally seen.”

» READ MORE: Zack Wheeler ‘going in the right direction’ after facing hitters again

Painter stayed ahead in counts, which had been a goal he and Marchán had discussed before the outing.

“I can see more confidence in himself,” the catcher said. “He feels comfortable on the mound right now. When you’re young, that’s tough. But right now, he looks really good. I caught him the first time this spring, but now it’s almost at the end and I can see how impressive he’s throwing the ball and I’m happy for him.”

Painter, 22, will throw in a simulated game before opening day. Thomson said it’s possible that could take place next week in Philadelphia, depending on the weather, since he would like the rookie to get a feel for the mound at Citizens Bank Park.

It hasn’t quite sunk in for Painter that he is on the cusp of making his long-awaited major league debut.

“I’m just trying to stay in the present and look forward to each and every start,” he said. “I think that’ll hit when the time comes, and the next start is a big league start. I think that’s kind of when the realization will hit.”

Otto Kemp hit a double with a 109.4 mph exit velocity.

Dylan Moore, starting in center, went 2-for-2 with a walk and two RBIs, but he was lifted with a bruised left foot after fouling a ball off it. Felix Reyes also fouled a ball off his left foot and was lifted with a bruise.

Bryan De La Cruz singled, walked, and stole a base.

Garrett Stubbs started at third base as the Phillies continue to get him reps at positions other than catcher. He made one putout and one error. He also singled.

Seth Johnson pitched two scoreless innings. He retired the side in order in the fifth inning, striking out two Braves looking. In the sixth, Johnson put two runners on with a single and walk, but escaped the jam with another strikeout and a fly out.

He topped out at 98.8 mph with his fastball.

» READ MORE: Phillies prospect Felix Reyes is making an impression in Clearwater

Tucker Davidson pitched two innings. Three unearned runs scored on four hits, a walk, and two errors, one by Stubbs and one by Davidson.

“He made one really good play and then he kind of backed up on a on a chopper that got his feet mixed up a little bit,” Thomson said of Stubbs at third. “But that’s understandable. He hadn’t played there.”

A team of Phillies prospects will head to Fort Myers to play the Twins’ prospects as part of the “Spring Breakout” series (1:05 p.m., MLBN). The major league squad will remain in Clearwater to host the Rays (1:05 p.m., PHI Video). Tim Mayza will open the game.