Overview

• Painter logged 26 starts and roughly 118 innings, posting a 5.40 ERA at Triple A and 5.26 overall after a late-season final outing.
• His four-seam fastball averaged 96.6 mph and touched 100, but a 9.7% Triple-A walk rate undercut effectiveness.
• Early-season blisters curtailed his changeup usage, a harder slider version was frequently hit, and his curveball held hitters to a .196 average.
• The Phillies never summoned him despite a summer target, with Cristopher Sánchez, Ranger Suárez and Jesús Luzardo covering rotation needs following Zack Wheeler’s injury and Aaron Nola’s dip.
• Team leaders, including Dave Dombrowski and minor league director Luke Murton, reiterated confidence in Painter’s long-term projection as a frontline starter, while the pitcher emphasized learning and staying healthy.