Don’t panic on Andrew Painter—This is exactly what AAA is for

No need to beat around the bush with this one. Time to kill the overreactions and just agree with the Philadelphia Phillies on Andrew Painter.

I really don’t see any reason to be concerned about Andrew Painter’s recent starts down in AAA Lehigh Valley. Sure, the stat lines haven’t been pretty and Painter got his shit rocked yet again on Tuesday night.

Andrew Painter shelled (again) in Lehigh Valley

Andrew Painter tonight for AAA Lehigh Valley:

5.0 IP | 8 H | 6 ER | 0 BB | 4 K | 73 Pitches
pic.twitter.com/8ib06JF8Yi

— Phillies Tailgate (@PhilsTailgate) June 11, 2025

Allowing six runs on eight hits in just five innings is nasty work. His 4.82 ERA through 10 starts isn’t something to write home about either.

When you mix in the 1.34 WHIP and a June ERA that’s a disgusting 10.00 over nine innings, it’s easy to see how Phillies fans are pissing their pants ahead of what they all expected to be a mid-July call up for the number one prospect in the system.

Stash List Watch

Andrew Painter
AAA Lehigh Valley PHI

6.10 v Worcester
5 IP 8H 6ER 0BB 2HR 4K
7 whiffs/73 pitches

Ah-man!
Blasted by lefties despite solid stuff. Cutter gets whiffs but left a few center cut.
9 hard-hit balls & a lot more ?s about whether this is gonna work. pic.twitter.com/1Ap0Ji1F1O

— YGM Fantasy Baseball (@YGMfantasy) June 12, 2025

Over here? I’m sticking with the ideology that Andrew Painter sucking ass in Triple A is actually part of the job and the most important part is how he bounces back after a few nightmare starts.

It would be foolish to believe that Painter was going to march into Lehigh Valley and instantly be the second coming of Roy Halladay overnight. There’s a reason that Major League Baseball organizations have Farm Systems. The progression and development is designed to be a long, grueling process. It’s how players prepare themselves for a whole new world when and if they finally make it to The Show.

Painter is getting hit, facing adversity, and hopefully, making adjustments and that is exactly what Triple A is for. Who gives a shit if he allows 50 runs a game in Lehigh Valley. I certainly do not. The focus should be on working through the stuff that doesn’t fly when hitters start sitting on tendencies and picking up pitch patterns.

You can say that confidently.

Andrew Painter’s stuff didn’t just…disappear.

Andrew Painter collects 2 K's in the first inning on nasty curveballs pic.twitter.com/g8DTmKe3Uc

— Phillie Phacts (@PhilliePhacts) June 4, 2025

Painter’s fastball is still humming at 97–99 mph. He’s logged 158 pitches across his last two starts. Plus, the IronPigs aren’t pulling him after three innings with a pitch count of 45—they’re letting him build up.

That tells you everything you need to know about what the real goals are right now because really, who gives a shit about box scores when you’re focused on strength and sustainability.

You want to know how Painter’s progressing? Look at the velocity. Look at the pitch mix. Look at the innings total (37.1 and climbing). Not the ERA.

This is Andrew Painter’s first real run in Triple-A. He’s just 21 and coming off two lost years to Tommy John. The guy’s basically learning how to pitch at a high level all over again. Of course he’s going to give up some bombs.

Of course hitters are going to adjust to him. That’s how the game works. The challenge now is for him to adjust back. And that’s what the Phillies are watching for. That’s what we should all be watching for.

Andrew Painter is here to develop. And when he’s ready—probably sometime in July—he’ll be in Philly, better off for all of this.

Until then? Let him get hit a little. Let him figure it out. That’s how future aces are made.

Join The Chase