The Philadelphia Phillies have a rookie problem, and it’s not the kind they want to solve with a simple pep talk. Andrew Painter, the 21-year-old right-hander once seen as the future of the rotation, is getting hit like a piñata. His latest start Wednesday against the Miami Marlins was so ugly that fans and analysts are now openly calling for the kid to be sent down to Triple-A.
Painter lasted just two innings, giving up six hits, two walks, and six earned runs before the bullpen had to scramble. The Phillies were already warming up arms in the second inning, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, who posted on X that “the rookie’s spot in the rotation is tenuous.” That’s about as polite as it gets for a pitcher who now owns a 6.43 ERA through 14 starts.
The numbers are brutal. Painter has allowed four or more runs in seven of his 14 outings, and he’s done it in four straight appearances. In June alone, he’s been lit up by the White Sox (six runs in 4.2 innings) and the Brewers (five runs in five innings). Wednesday was just the latest disaster. He heads into his next start with a 1-7 record, and the Phillies have to ask themselves: how much longer can they afford to let him figure it out at the major league level?
Fans online didn’t hold back. “Do Andrew Painter a favor and send him down. This is a brutal watch,” one user posted. Another wrote, “There’s zero reason to keep Andrew Painter in the majors at this point.” Even Corey Seidman, a respected baseball analyst, noted that Painter “looks overmatched” and worried the struggles could damage his confidence. “You don’t want the kid feeling like he’ll never be able to retire big-league hitters,” Seidman posted.
The Phillies are sitting at 40-33, good for second in the NL East and a wild-card spot. They’re trying to sweep the Marlins on Wednesday, but a 6-4 deficit after three innings didn’t make it easy. The larger issue is that Philadelphia’s rotation depth is thin, and Painter was supposed to be a stabilizing force — not a liability. But if this continues, the organization may have no choice but to option him to the minors to rebuild his mechanics and mindset.
Don Mattingly, the Phillies’ hitting coach, has been a vocal supporter of Trea Turner during his early-season slump. But fans are hoping he doesn’t extend the same blanket loyalty to Painter. One bad start can be a fluke. Nine out of 14 starts giving up three or more runs? That’s a pattern. And patterns, in a playoff race, get you demoted.
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