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Dave Dombrowski Reveals Phillies' Updated Andrew Painter Plan

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matthew Sullivan | Last updated Jul 22, 2025 2:30 PM ET

The Philadelphia Phillies have one of the top starting rotations in baseball and one of the best pitching prospects in baseball in Andrew Painter.

With a crowded rotation, there isn't a clear spot for Painter. It's a good issue to have, as it means the rotation is strong. But, it does provide a new challenge for the Phillies to manage.

In a piece from Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski revealed the updated plan for Painter's MLB debut.

"We've always said July-ish that he'd be ready to join the rotation, not that he was going to join the rotation," Dombrowski said. "Because if you have five guys pitching well, he has to be pitching well."

A crowded rotation has led Painter not to get the call-up so far in July, and barring any major changes, it seems likely Painter will have to wait a while to make his MLB debut.

"He is ready to join the rotation if we have the need and if he is throwing well at that time," Dombrowski said. "He isn't guaranteed a spot in a rotation at any point. He's never been told that he is. We'll just play it by ear, see how he's throwing, how our club fits together."

While Dombrowksi isn't ruling out Painter getting called up this season, he is painting a picture where he doesn't make his debut until the right scenario arises.

These comments from Dombrowski point towards Painter not making his debut until something happens to the rotation. It could be an injury, severe regression from a starter, or even a starter moving to the bullpen in preparation for their eventual bullpen role in October.

As Dombrowski mentioned, Painter was set to be ready for his MLB debut after the All-Star break, but this new update indicates that the Phillies are in no rush to bring him up.

Of course, Painter's struggles in Triple-A haven't helped his case. In 55.2 innings through 12 starts, Painter has a 5.01 ERA, 59 strikeouts, 20 walks, 11 home runs, and a 1.44 WHIP.

Those struggles, combined with the strong starting rotation and Dombrowski's comments, indicate that the top prospect won't make his MLB debut anytime soon.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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