The Philadelphia Phillies just got swept by the New York Mets, and their starting pitching has not been the same since Zach Wheeler was ruled out for the season with a blood clot. Philadelphia still has a reliable starting rotation without Wheeler, but it might be time for the organization to make a bold move.
Phillies number one prospect Andrew Painter is currently in Triple-A with the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. He is projected to reach the MLB level in 2025. Is there a chance that Philadelphia will make Painter a September callup, or will they have him wait until next year to be with the big club?
Philadelphia Phillies should call up Andrew Painter to provide a spark.
The Phillies' rivals, the New York Mets, have recently called up two young pitchers to the big leagues in Nolan McLean and Jonah Tong. Yes, Philadelphia still leads New York by four games for the NL East at the moment, but this team needs a spark in the starting rotation with Wheeler out for the remainder of the season.
It might be time for Philadelphia to call up Painter from the minor leagues, even if the numbers don't support it. He is just 22 years old and was the 13th overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft. Painter has pitched in 18 games for the Iron Pigs in Triple-A and has a 4-5 record with a 5.11 ERA. In 86.1 innings pitched, he has given up 90 hits. Painter has also walked 38 batters and has struck out 87 batters.
Philadelphia should also call him up because they don't have an off day until September 2. They should have Painter get some MLB experience before the end of the season and start a couple of games to taste what the level is like.
The current starters for now are Cristopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez, Jesus Luzardo, Aaron Nola, and Taijuan Walker. Having a sixth starter like Painter would help in the rotation because the schedule is taxing down the stretch before the playoffs.
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