As Andrew Painter is optioned to Triple-A, it's clear what the Philadelphia Phillies need to do at the trade deadline.
The Philadelphia Phillies were hoping that highly touted pitching prospect Andrew Painter could be a key contributor in the rotation right out of the gate.
Growing pains were always bound to occur at some point for the rookie, but it got to the point where the Phillies couldn’t let him work through those at the big-league level.
The team made the decision to option Painter to Triple-A after Wednesday’s disastrous start against the Miami Marlins.
Given Painter’s struggles, there’s a good chance this won’t be a quick reset, and he’ll likely spend an extended period in the Minor Leagues to get back on track.
With Painter heading to figure things out at Triple-A, the Phillies are in a bind. They don’t have many options to make up for his spot in the rotation, and that should directly impact Philadelphia’s trade deadline plans.
As the deadline gets closer and trade activity begins to ramp up, David Dombrowski must be scouring the market for another starting pitcher. Perhaps, trading for multiple arms is what the Phillies might need to do.
Mar 31, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Andrew Painter (24) walks to the dugout after being removed from the game against the Washington Nationals in the sixth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn ImagesPainter's struggles have left Philadelphia in a difficult spot. Internally, the Phillies don’t have a ton of options to fill Painter’s spot in the rotation. Offseason acquisition Tucker Davidson or Seth Johnson as an opener could be options, but likely not long-term solutions.
Maybe prospect Gage Wood could be ready by the end of the regular season, but that’d once again be putting a lot of faith in a young arm, and that didn’t work out with Painter.
Painter’s struggles really highlight the lack of pitching depth in the organization.
The Phillies have a team 4.23 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP, but those numbers are heavily inflated by Cristoopher Sanchez and Zack Wheeler’s phenomenal individual ERAs.
In a doomsday scenario where one Sanchez or Wheeler gets injured, the Phillies simply don’t have another arm in the organization to make up for
Trading for another pitcher won’t be easy; the Phillies aren’t the only team seeking starter depth, and they don’t have a ton of prospect capital. However, with the way the season is going, the organization doesn’t have a choice but to trade for a pitcher.
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