Painter to Undergo Elbow Tests, What Could It Mean for Phillies?

Uh oh.

Andrew Painter, the Philadelphia Phillies’ top prospect, had tests taken on his right elbow one day after his spring training debut on Wednesday.

"Andrew Painter came in with a little tender elbow yesterday," Phillies manager Rob Thomson said after Friday’s 6-3 loss to the Detroit Tigers at BayCare Ballpark. "So we don't have any results, but we sent him out for some tests and we'll have more information tomorrow on it."

The 19-year-old Painter threw two innings against the Minnesota Twins in Fort Myers and reached 99 miles per hour on the radar gun.

The No. 6 overall prospect in baseball entered camp with a legitimate chance to become the Phillies’ fifth starter.

“Felt pretty good,” Painter said Wednesday. “Felt satisfied with the cutters I threw. It was pretty fastball-heavy today."

Painter won’t even turn 20 until April 10.

Painter, who was the 13th overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, went 6-2 with a 1.56 ERA in 22 starts last season across three levels of the Minors in his first full professional season. He recorded 155 strikeouts and walked only 25 batters over 103 2/3 innings.

Regardless of the diagnosis, it seems highly unlikely that Painter will make the Opening Day roster on the MLB team. Bailey Falter is the next logical option to take the fifth spot in the rotation.