Andrew Painter officially promoted to Triple-A, set to pitch this week
Andrew Painter is officially one step away from the big leagues.
The Phillies transferred the top prospect from Single-A Clearwater to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, the IronPigs announced Tuesday. He’s slated to start on Thursday at Coca-Cola Park as he works his way toward a potential major-league debut this summer.
Painter, 22, is in his first season back after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his pitching elbow in 2023. Since he’ll be on an innings limit, the right-hander got a late start to the year coming out of spring. He made four starts with the Threshers as he eased his way into the regular season. His arrival in the Lehigh Valley will present more of a challenge.
“Very good,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said this past Friday of his reports on Painter. “Healthy. The stuff has been good. … I think we ramp up the competition on him now a little bit.”
Painter had a 3.97 ERA in his four outings with 12 strikeouts and one walk in 11 1/3 innings. He went four innings in his last start, giving up two home runs and allowing three runs in total. Painter threw 42 pitches in the game, then threw another 18 in the bullpen after he was removed, Thomson said.
The former first-round pick is scheduled to toss about four innings and/or 60-65 pitches when he takes on Worcester for his Triple-A debut on Thursday. It’s all part of a plan to get Painter to Philadelphia around July. In the meantime, he’ll join an IronPigs squad that has been off to a tremendous start and is tied for the best record in the International League at 23-11.
Righty Nabil Crismatt threw six scoreless innings in an eventual 6-4 loss in extras on Tuesday to start a six-game series with the WooSox. Kyle Tyler is Wednesday’s probable starter, while Painter will start on Thursday night. Alan Rangel will take the mound Friday, and Mick Abel will go Saturday.
No starter has been listed yet for Sunday afternoon’s finale, but Crismatt would be lined up to get the ball again after four days of rest.