Phillies release official diagnosis of Andrew Painter’s elbow
Phillies top prospect Andrew Painter has a right proximal UCL sprain.
Andrew Painter sought out two options after undergoing an MRI-Arthogram on March 3rd. Dr. Neal ElAttrache confirmed the UCL sprain, leading to both the Phillies and Dr. ElAttrache recommending four weeks of rest for Painter from the date of the injury. Once the four weeks are up, Painter will begin a light-throwing progression.
Painter logged just two innings in Spring Training this season and flashed some serious stuff in his first time facing Major League pitching. Once Painter returns, he’ll see if he can pitch through it.
Here’s the deal with UCL sprains. They tend to have a small tear somewhere. Whether the ligaments are stretched out too far, or actually torn slightly, we don’t know. You can pitch through it after the first month is over. UCL tears tend to lead to Tommy John in the future if not handled right, so the Phillies medical staff really needs to be careful. If anything goes wrong in the process, Painter could be out until the middle of the 2024 season.
Brutal. The Phillies will now roll with a starting rotation of Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, Ranger Suarez (if healthy by his first start), Taijuan Walker, and Bailey Falter.
Mandatory Credit: The Philadelphia Inquirer
