June 17, 2026

Phillies option Andrew Painter to Triple-A after another brutal start

The Phillies couldn't afford to have Painter overwhelmed every fifth day anymore.

By Nick Tricome
PhillyVoice Staff

Kyle Ross/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Andrew Painter was rarely comfortable in his first taste of the major leagues.

Immediately following the Phillies' 12-4 loss to the Marlins on Wednesday, manager Don Mattingly was asked if Andrew Painter would make his next start.

"Well, it's something we'll probably talk about," the manager said from the postgame podium. "I would say that."

But that he said anything other than "yes" told the room enough.

Painter, the 23-year-old rookie right-hander, was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley a couple of hours later through a club announcement. A corresponding roster move to fill his spot on the 26-man roster will be made Thursday, the Phillies added.

Following today’s game against the Miami Marlins, the Phillies optioned RHP Andrew Painter to Lehigh Valley (AAA). A corresponding roster move to replace his spot on the 26-man roster will be made tomorrow.
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) June 17, 2026

Painter lasted just two innings in his start for Wednesday's series finale against Miami, and the signs of trouble were immediate.

The Marlins' Kyle Stowers crushed a two-run homer in the first inning to put the Phillies down early, which led pitching coach Caleb Cotham to run out for a mound visit with Painter just three batters and 15 pitches in.

Owen Caissie homered to lead off the second, then mistakes piled up and compounded, with another mound visit from Cotham unable to prevent a meltdown.

Painter walked Joe Mack, gave up a double to Esteury Ruiz, a ground-ball single to Liam Hicks that Bryson Stott couldn't field at second base, another double from Stowers, and then a check-swing single by Xavier Edwards that all sent Miami up 6-2 before the rookie could finally escape after 56 pitches thrown.

His fastball had its velocity, but it crept up high in the strike zone and wasn't moving. The Marlins saw that and tagged him for it.

When Painter was pulled, he was on the hook for six earned runs off of six hits (two homers) and two walks. He struck out only three, dropped to 1-8 with the losing decision that made for a long day for the Philadelphia bullpen, and saw his ERA hike up to a brutal 7.06.

He's received the loss in three of his last four appearances, and has surrendered at least four earned runs and a homer in his last three turns on the mound.

MORE: Phillies stack lefty bats in series win over Marlins

The Phillies' plan going into this season was to carry Painter as a protected fifth starter behind the established veteran starters Cristopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo, Zack Wheeler, and Aaron Nola, but every fifth day only made it painfully clearer that the former top pitching prospect was overwhelmed at the big league level.

He was lost, and it felt like the Phillies had to make a decision on him quickly following Wednesday's outing, before risking his confidence being irreparably shot.

"It's about as good as it can be right now given the circumstances," Painter said of his confidence in the Phillies' clubhouse postgame. "It's still just going out there and being convicted with every pitch, trying to stay aggressive in the zone.

"If I'm gonna give up runs, I'd rather get hit around than walk the guy, so just continuing to stay aggressive in the zone."

The problem is, the Phillies aren't in a spot right now to afford surrendering runs like that. They're trying to compete, and make up ground in the NL East standings – they left Wednesday at 40-34, still seven games back of the Braves in the division race.

"Some places you have a chance to be more patient," Mattingly said. "I would say when you're in a situation like we're in, that you're fighting to not only get in the playoffs, but have a chance to win it all, you probably don't have the same amount of patience."

So Painter has to figure things out in Lehigh Valley now, while the Phillies have to find a way to keep pushing forward.

"Right now, I've had to lean heavily on spin," said Painter, who admitted he had been struggling to feel a consistently good fastball leave his hand when he delivers. "Sweepers and sliders have been great for me, earlier in the year the changeup was great, and right now, I'm kind of searching for it.

"It's kind of been inconsistent, the kind of cut, it's not really in the depth. So just continue to kind of hone in on that stuff, work on the stuff in between each start. Just try to perfect those things."

But it's going to be a while, maybe a lot longer than the Phillies ever wanted.