CLEARWATER, Fla. — Pitching phenom Andrew Painter has a sore elbow and the Phillies are holding their breath.
Two days after his ebullient spring training debut, Painter told the team his right elbow felt “a little tender,” manager Rob Thomson said on Friday. Instead of going through his workday between starts, the consensus top-pitching prospect in baseball left BayCare Ballpark and headed to Tests. He did not return until the end of the Phillies’ 6-3 exhibition loss to the Detroit Tigers.
Thomson declined to explain the type of testing being conducted but said the Phillies are awaiting the results.
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“We will have more information [Saturday] on it,” Thomson said. “That’s all I can say at the moment.”
Painter, a 19-year-old right-hander, is fighting for last spot in the starting rotation — and could even be the front-runner for the job. If he can’t start the season on time, left Bailey Falter would be the primary candidate for the fifth starter.
In his first start of practice in the spring, Painter allowed a run in two innings and threw 29 pitches Wednesday against the Minnesota Twins in Fort Myers, Fla. Thomson noted after that game that Painter threw a first-pitch fastball to all eight batters.
Painter threw 19 heaters at the Twins and peaked at 99 mph with back-to-back pitches against star slugger Carlos Correa. He threw no curveballs or changeups, but threw in a cutter he’d only recently picked up.
Andrew Painter allowed a run in two innings and threw 29 pitches against the Twins on Wednesday.. … Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
“Maybe we threw too many fastballs, but he’s got a good fastball,” pitching coach Caleb Cotham said Friday, before Thomson Painters revealed elbow pain. “It was just him being him. We don’t do much game planning. It’s fairer: ‘Go out and do what you do.’ You could always say, ‘Hey, we should have done this or that.’ But it was pretty good. It is as advertised. And he will be better.”
When asked directly if Painter got out of his first start with no problems, Cotham replied, “Yes.” But he did note that the Phillies planned to use the days off on March 8th and 13th to complete Painter’s starts to distribute.
It’s now clear that any change in Painter’s schedule could involve more than just days off.
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Painter has impressed his older teammates with his talent and maturity throughout camp.
“He has a lively fastball. It’s easy,” said veteran starter Taijuan Walker. “And even for him, that he’s only 19 years old, it’s very impressive how he carries himself, how he goes about his business. He’s going to be something very special.”
Painter is trying to be the first 19-year-old to break camp with the Phillies since Larry Christenson in 1973. If he starts before his birthday, April 10, he would be the first teenage pitcher to start a game for the team since Mark Davis in 1980.
For now, however, the Phillies are only hoping for positive news on the condition of Painter’s elbow.