The team has announced that Painter will not require surgery at this time.
The Phillies provided a much anticipated update on baseball’s No. 6 prospect, Andrew Painter on Friday. The news is mostly positive at this point. Painter will not require Tommy John surgery to repair his damaged UCL in his pitching elbow.
Painter originally reported tenderness in his right elbow after he made his spring training debut. He was checked out by the Phillies’ medical staff. He also went to see Dr. Neal ElAttrache— the same specialist who repaired Bryce Harper’s torn elbow ligament— and his assessment agreed with the Phillies prognosis. Painter will take four weeks to rest his elbow before beginning a “light tossing” program.
Painter and the Phillies seem confident that rest will do the trick in healing the injured ligament. While the news of a UCL sprain is still a bit unnerving for the Phillies and their fans, it seems that Painter has avoided major surgery at this time.
Injuries are never a good thing. The Phillies would much rather have Painter healthy to begin the 2023 campaign. There is a small silver lining, however. One of the biggest discussions surrounding Painter and his inevitable Major League debut was how the Phillies would manage his innings. Painter is just 19 years old after all and has topped out at 103 2/3 innings in his short professional career. If he were to begin the season on the Phillies’ roster, they would have to find a way to keep him fresh as the 162-game season progressed.
By delaying the start of his season, the Phillies can keep his innings down without having to overmanage his workload. This allows Painter to be fresh when he returns from his rehab. Hopefully, when he is healthy, he will be able to contribute valuable innings in the middle of the season and at the end of the season without missing as many starts.
Prior to the injury it seemed that Painter was on track to be in the Phillies rotation to start the season. The Phillies hope that he will still be able to join the rotation at some point. Painter has dominant stuff for his age and has received praise from many around the game. Minnesota Twins shortstop— Carlos Correa— said that Painter has the make up to be a star pitcher in the Major Leagues.
The Phillies will hope to get Painter back and healthy as soon as possible. It is important that they do not rush his rehab and return. From the sounds of it, they are not rushing him, and he will be watched carefully. When he is healthy and ready to make his Major League debut, Painter should be a focal point of the Phillies rotation.
