The Philadelphia Phillies have made the difficult move of optioning struggling right-hander Andrew Painter to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. In response to the demotion, All-Star shortstop Trea Turner offered a supportive message to the young pitcher, emphasizing that early-career struggles are far from uncommon.
“Everyone goes through it in different ways,” Turner told NBC Sports Philadelphia. “You want to get off to a strong start in your career, but there are so many really good players in this game who didn’t have great beginnings.”
Turner, who experienced multiple call-ups and send-downs during his own rookie season with the Washington Nationals in 2016, understands the challenges Painter is facing. That Nationals team, like the current Phillies roster, was built with postseason ambitions in mind.
“It teaches you a lot,” Turner added. “As long as you’re willing to work hard and learn from every opportunity you get, you’ll be fine.”
While Turner’s words offer reassurance, he also knows adversity personally. The veteran shortstop has been going through his own offensive slump this season, a stretch that has hurt the Phillies’ lineup just as Painter’s inconsistency impacted the pitching staff.
Why the Phillies Made the Move
The Phillies entered the season hoping to balance Painter’s development with their win-now goals, but his struggles ultimately forced their hand. Under interim manager Don Mattingly, Philadelphia has posted a strong 31–15 run, though eight of those losses came with Painter on the mound.
Despite the demotion, the organization still views Painter as a long-term front-line starter. He entered the year highly regarded on multiple Top 100 prospect rankings, typically landing between No. 21 and No. 32.
“His stuff is there—you can see it,” Turner said. “The velocity, the pitches, everything is good. It’s just about execution. I know he works hard, so it’ll come.”
After an impressive debut against the Washington Nationals, Painter’s rookie campaign has been defined by inconsistency. His most recent stretch has been particularly difficult, allowing 21 runs over his last 15 innings, including several blowout losses for the club.
What’s Next for Andrew Painter
The assignment to Triple-A is intended to give Painter a reset away from major league pressure. Command and pitch execution—especially location—have been his biggest issues, with too many hittable pitches left over the heart of the plate and difficulty finishing at-bats.
Interestingly, Painter has shown strong ability to work into pitcher-friendly counts, reaching 0–2 or 1–2 situations in 48% of plate appearances, well above the league average of 39%. The problem has been what comes next: finishing hitters.
In those two-strike counts, MLB hitters typically post an OPS around .474. Painter, however, has allowed a much higher .789 OPS in those same situations. His putaway rate also sits below league average (16.2% compared to 19.1%).
The Phillies expect him to use his time in Lehigh Valley over at least the next couple of weeks to refine those details. Barring injury, the assignment is expected to last until around July 3, giving him at least two starts to make visible improvements before a potential return.