Overview
- Manager Rob Thomson said Painter will not pitch in October, calling the 22-year-old "tired" and emphasizing that he finished the year healthy.
- Painter made 26 starts across the minors, logging 118 innings overall and a 5.40 ERA in Triple-A (5.26 overall), including 106⅔ frames with Lehigh Valley.
- Philadelphia had outlined a midseason debut window, but inconsistent Triple-A results and a strong big-league rotation kept him from a call-up.
- His fastball velocity returned — averaging about 96.6 mph and touching 100 — yet fastball command slipped, with a higher walk rate cited as a key issue.
- Early blisters limited his changeup and led to slider tinkering, and despite the uneven season, team leaders say they remain confident in his frontline-starter potential.