The Phillies have set their starting rotation for the upcoming season, with manager Rob Thomson announcing the lineup. Cristopher Sánchez will take the mound on Opening Day, followed by Aaron Nola, Jesús Luzardo, Taijuan Walker, and Andrew Painter. Painter, despite being on the 40-man roster, will make his major league debut in the fifth game.
This arrangement isn't unexpected, especially with Zack Wheeler recovering from thoracic outlet syndrome surgery and starting the season on the injured list. The anticipation has been building for this rotation, and now it's official.
Andrew Painter's debut is particularly noteworthy. Once touted as one of the league's top pitching prospects, Painter was the 13th overall pick in the 2021 draft.
His minor league performance in 2022 was stellar, boasting a 1.56 ERA and reaching Double-A. There was even buzz about him joining the Phillies in 2023, just shy of his 20th birthday.
However, elbow issues derailed those plans, leading to Tommy John surgery in July 2023. This kept him off the field for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Last year, Painter returned to action with 22 Triple-A starts, amassing a 5.40 ERA over 106 2/3 innings, with a strikeout rate of 23.4% and a walk rate of 9.7%.
Though his prospect ranking has dipped, Painter is still highly regarded, appearing in the 25 to 50 range on most top 100 lists this year. The Phillies added him to the 40-man roster last November to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. This spring, he posted a 2.31 ERA in four starts, despite a modest 18.6% strikeout rate and a low .188 batting average on balls in play.
As the season unfolds, the rotation could see changes, especially with Wheeler's return on the horizon. He's set to pitch in a minor league game soon, marking his first action since surgery. While Wheeler will need time to build up, his comeback is in sight.
Decisions will need to be made when Wheeler is ready to return. The Phillies might opt for a six-man rotation, or someone could be moved out.
Painter, with his options, could return to Triple-A, but if he outperforms Walker, he might retain his spot. Walker has experience in the bullpen, so that's a possibility too.
Painter's presence on the Opening Day roster also brings potential benefits under the Prospect Promotion Incentive. If he stays in the majors long enough to earn a full year of service time and achieves Rookie of the Year or a top-three finish in Cy Young voting during his pre-arbitration years, the Phillies could earn a bonus draft pick.