The Phillies lost the finale of their three-game series against the Miami Marlins on Wednesday afternoon, but they have a bigger problem than just one loss.
In late March, Andrew Painter came to the majors as the brightest pitching prospect the team has had since Cole Hamels.
Now, he can’t get big-league hitters out and Phillies management has to consider a remedy – possibly his temporary removal from the rotation — before the situation worsens for the 23-year-old right-hander.
Painter was tagged for six runs in two innings in the team’s ugly 12-4 loss to the Marlins. Six of the hits he allowed were home runs. In all, he faced 14 batters and eight of them reached base.
Sixty-five innings into his rookie season, Painter has a whopping 7.06 ERA. He has allowed 83 hits.
His growing pains have been excruciating and a contending team can’t afford to deal with them much longer.
Painter appeared to be turning a corner when he put together three solid outings against Boston (one run in five innings), Cincinnati (two runs in six innings) and Cleveland (two runs in 6 1/3 innings) last month. But in three starts since then, he has been bruised for 20 hits and 17 runs 11 2/3 innings. He’s walked seven batters over that span and served up five home runs.
These numbers scream that it is time to send Painter back to Triple A, where he did not exactly pitch well — 5.40 ERA in 22 starts – last year. There is a dearth of quality starting pitching depth at Triple A. Alan Rangel is about the best the Phillies have. It’s probably time to bring him, or someone else, and let Painter work through his struggles in a less pressurized situation.
Painter’s difficulties started early Wednesday. He walked the second batter of the game then gave up a two-run home run to Kyle Stowers on a 2-2 fastball. The pitch measured 95.8 mph but was elevated, middle-in, and the lefty-hitting Stowers punished it. Painter gave up another homer, this one to lefty-hitting Owen Caissie, on virtually the identical pitch in the second inning.
That inning included an 11-pitch showdown with Xavier Edwards. The Miami hitter fouled off five two-strike pitches before stroking an infield single. Painter simply could not put him away.
It’s been a rough year for the brightest young talents in the Phillies’ system. Top prospect Aidan Miller, an infielder, has not played because of a lower back issue. Justin Crawford is essentially platooning in center field with the big club. He’s had his moments, but is hitting .238 with a .623 OPS. And then there’s Painter.
The Phillies’ rotation is in good shape at the top with Cristopher Sanchez, Zack Wheeler and Jesus Luzardo. But at the back end, Painter isn’t the only one who has struggled. Aaron Nola carries a 5.86 ERA in Thursday’s start against the Mets. Throughout the first 2 ½ months of the season, it looked as if adding a right-handed bat would be the Phillies’ trade-deadline priority. Painter’s issues and Nola’s inconsistency could add starting pitcher to that list.
But first things first. Phillies elders must figure out what to do with Painter before he’s due to pitch again early next week. He’s young, has much upside and is important to the future. What’s the remedy here?
(More coming…)
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