Andrew Painter will pitch this week. (Reading Fightin Phils)
Andrew Painter is going to make his first start of the 2025 season this week.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson announced before Sunday's game that the organization's No. 1 prospect will pitch for Single-A Clearwater Friday. This comes after Painter threw a live batting practice this past Friday.
Thomson didn't have an exact pitch count for Painter, but said "probably just a couple" in terms of how many innings he'll be throwing. It sounds as though he'll pitch once a week for the time being.
It's not a rehab start, because Painter isn't currently on the 40-man roster. But it will be his first minor-league outing since 2022, when he posted a 1.56 ERA over 103 2/3 innings across three different levels of the minors, peaking at Double-A Reading.
Andrew Painter will make his first start of the season on Friday with the Clearwater Threshers. pic.twitter.com/BiDZDzd2Y1
— Phillies Tailgate (@PhilsTailgate) April 6, 2025
Painter appeared to have a real shot to make the Opening Day roster in 2023 as a 19-year-old, before suffering an elbow injury that eventually required Tommy John surgery in July of that summer. He didn't pitch at all during last regular season, but impressed in his return to the mound in the Arizona Fall League, posting a 2.30 ERA and 18 strikeouts over 15 2/3 frames.
The Phillies have said all along that they don't expect Painter to join their starting rotation until some point this summer. July is a loose target date, but there is wiggle room for it to be June or August. Nothing has changed in Painter's timeline, per Thomson. Nonetheless, it is an exciting step for the organization.
Elsewhere, Weston Wilson (left oblique strain) is going to begin a rehab stint on Tuesday, also for the Single-A Threshers. Wilson can rehab for up to 20 days before the Phillies have to decide whether to put him on the 26-man roster or option him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Wilson does have one remaining minor-league option.
Finally, Ranger Suárez (low back stiffness) threw a live batting practice Saturday. Assuming he continues to feel good over the next 24 or so hours, Suárez will pitch in a simulated game Thursday.
