In his first start after the All-Star break, Phillies top prospect Andrew Painter dazzled on Thursday night for Triple-A Lehigh Valley to earn his first win in more than month.
Painter, pitching on 10 days rest, allowed two runs on one hit – a home run to rehabbing Oriole Ryan Mountcastle – in six innings against the Norfolk Tides. He struck out four and walked three, picking up his first win since June 15.Painter, the sport's eighth-ranked overall prospect according to MLB Pipeline, showcased a variety of swing-and-miss pitches against the Tides:
Painter had struggled somewhat in his past three starts leading up to the break, allowing at least three earned runs without going past the sixth inning in any of the outings, but the time off during the break appeared to serve him well as he continues his comeback from Tommy John surgery that cost him all of 2023 and 2024.
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In total this season, between Single-A Clearwater and Lehigh Valley, Painter is 3-5 with a 4.68 ERA and has 75 strikeouts in 73 innings. It remains to be seen if the organization's most cherished pitching prospect since Cole Hamels will come up to the majors this month – the Phillies have openly discussed a July promotion since the start of the season – or if Painter is dealt by Thursday's MLB trade deadline to help the Phillies make a major push for the World Series.
Soto on the move, again
The Phils could certainly use another power left-hander for the bullpen to take the place of José Alvarado, who's still serving his 80-game PED suspension and won't be eligible for postseason play.
But the answer won't be former Phillie Gregory Soto, who was traded (again) Friday when the Orioles sent him to the National League East-rival Mets.
The 30-year-old Soto, who pitched in 112 games for the Phillies between 2023-2024 before being dealt to Baltimore last year right before the trade deadline, has appeared in 45 games this season and holds a 3.96 ERA with 44 strikeouts in 36.1 innings.
It'll be a little strange to see Soto in a rival uniform, especially with a team that ousted the Phillies in the NL Divisional round last year, but Soto hasn't exactly shined in the postseason. He holds a career 4.91 playoff ERA in six outings, five of which came for the Phillies in 2023. He allowed two runs on five hits in three innings with three strikeouts during the 2023 postseason.
Ronald Acuna Jr.'s brother debuts for Phillies
Kenny Acuña , younger brother of Braves star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. who has verbally agreed to sign with the Phillies, played his first game Friday on U.S. soil, per NBC Sports' John Clark.
Why has Acuña only verbally agreed to be a Phillie? Well, because he was only 12 years old last March when he and the Phillies reached a wink-wink-nod-nod agreement, per Sports Illustrated, that Acuña would sign with the Phillies when he tuns 16, the age when international players can sign.
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