Andrew Painter is back on the mound.
It has been over 30 months since baseball fans last saw him throw out a pitch off the mound. He has had a long road of recovery to make his ultimate comeback.
He has always been a great pitcher, no matter who he played for. For Painter, it all started in high school and continued into college, as he was committed to the University of Florida. After a stellar senior year, going 6-1 with a 0.38 ERA and a total of 93 strikeouts over 47 innings, he decided to go into professional baseball.
Painter has since been a fireball on the field and has entered the MLB scene. However, the last time he saw any action on the mound was in July of 2023 when he went out for Tommy John surgery. He was out of baseball for a while. However, in 2024, after a lengthy rehabilitation, he returned to the Arizona Fall League.
His stats were just as good as they were before he went out. He posted a 2.30 ERA, 18 strikeouts over 15 and ⅔ innings.
Over the past few weeks, he returned to the mound with the Clearwater Threshers, showcasing his velocity already throwing nearly 100 MPH fastballs. In his first appearance on April 11, when Threshers played against the Daytona Tortugas, he struck out several batters after giving up a lead-off single in the first inning of that game. He was taken out of the game in the second inning after he allowed another single and a walk.
If he got into the Philadelphia Phillies rotation this summer, he would bring the heat and give them the boost they need. Painter possesses a rare combination that not many pitchers have nowadays. He has the size (6’7″), poise, and electricity required to throw pitches ranging from 90 MPH to triple-digits on the mound.
When he’s 100 percent, he can dominate and change up his pitches if necessary. In 2022, he proved that he could hold his own against big-league talent, and in his debut last week, he showed that he’s still got it. Adding Painter to the Phillies roster mid-season would be best for the team. He would put life back into their fielding, which is a significant area of struggle for this Philadelphia team. They also need to get more pitching depth.
Despite his recovery, he can serve as a dynamic arm to help stabilize the team and put an end to their opponent when it comes to scoring opportunities. Painter’s presence of becoming one of the greats would also give Philadelphia a better look. Painter would showcase his potential and could become a team anchor in years to come.
