Overview
- Painter left Wednesday night’s start after four innings and 63 pitches with left hamstring tightness and will undergo further evaluation by the Phillies.
- He allowed one earned run on three hits with one walk and four strikeouts before the exit, and both Painter and interim manager Don Mattingly called the move precautionary.
- The club recalled Painter from Triple-A last week after he reworked his delivery and raised his average fastball to about 97.2 mph, and that recent improvement figured into Philadelphia’s decision not to acquire a veteran starter at the deadline.
- Phillies leadership has openly acknowledged the rotation’s limited margin for injury and has relied on internal stop-gaps such as Alan Rangel, Brian Keller and bullpen/opener strategies to cover the fifth spot if Painter needs time.
- The next developments to watch are the results of Painter’s tests and any roster moves the Phillies make, because a short absence would force the team to choose between minor-league fill-ins, bullpen games or a post-deadline addition on the waiver market.