Justin Crawford Andrew Painter

Justin Crawford and Andrew Painter, you have our attention

Justin Crawford and Andrew Painter, you have our attention.

If you’ve been watching the Philadelphia Phillies lately, you probably noticed that this baseball team is still really good, even when missing some juice with Bryce Harper on the injured list.

Harper’s been out since June 6 with a wrist injury. The Phillies are 5-4 since then and are coming off a weekend sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays in South Philly. They open up a four-game series against the Marlins tonight in Miami.

Castellanos hits Grand Slam as Phillies smash Jays, complete the sweep at The Bank

Whether you’re putting all of your turnaround eggs in the bamboo basket, correctly realizing that baseball is a long rollercoaster season, or crediting the young prospects for providing a spark, the fact remains that the Phillies need to continue to be creative with their roster decisions.

Mick Abel carves out a spot in the rotation

Mick Abel is 1-0 with an ERA of 2.35 and 14 strikeouts in 3 appearances for the Phillies this season. He’ll be on the mound tonight in Miami.

That’s rock-solid production from Mick and he’s officially given the Phillies’ rotation a much needed boost with Aaron Nola on the injury list.

Spark Plug: Otto Kemp continues to deliver

Then you have Otto Kemp, who got the call to The Show when Harper hit the injured list. Kemp had four hits on Sunday and is batting .345 with a .931 OPS since joining the Phillies. You can dive into details on the hits that Kemp is getting, but that’s pretty meaningless. He’s a spark and another piece that has help balance the lineup.

That brings us to two of the biggest names in the Phillies’ system in Justin Crawford and Andrew Painter. It’s no secret that both players are next in line for a call to The Show and here’s why that should happen sooner than later.

Justin Crawford: Speed, Contact, and a Whole Lot of Buzz

Justin Crawford is one of the fastest players in professional baseball, and he’s currently tearing the cover off the ball in Triple-A. He’s hitting .349/.416/.448 for the IronPigs and looks like he could step into a big-league dugout tomorrow.

Justin Crawford looks MLB-ready

Over the past week, Justin Crawford is slashing .471/.550/.529 — ridiculous numbers. His elite speed (graded 75 on the scouting scale) gives him an extra gear both in the field and on the bases. He also rarely strikes out and gets on base a ton, making him an ideal guy to plug in as a bottom-of-the-order table-setter.

With Johan Rojas struggling and the outfield depth getting tested, Justin Crawford is looking more and more like an option worth exploring. Here’s where the Phillies currently stand with offensive production from their outfielders, grouped by position.

Right Field: Nick Castellanos Delivers

  • AVG: .279
  • HR: 7
  • OPS: .749
  • wRC+: 108

Right field has clearly been the most productive of the three outfield positions. With a 108 wRC+, that spot is generating offense above league average, and the .749 OPS supports that. The power numbers are solid (25 extra-base hits), and the approach is aggressive but productive. Nick Castellanos continues to deliver.

Center Field: Speedy, But Weak at the Plate

  • AVG: .243
  • HR: 3
  • OPS: .645
  • wRC+: 82

Center field continues to be a problem. There’s some speed here (11 stolen bases), but offensively this spot is costing the team runs. A .645 OPS and 82 wRC+ paint the picture of a player who’s well below average at the plate, and the -5.8 BRAA backs it up. Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas have been the platoon but the struggles are glaring.

Not enough walks or slug. The glove meets standards but the bats are simply not competitive at the major league level.

Left Field: The Weakest Link

  • AVG: .216
  • HR: 9
  • OPS: .694
  • wRC+: 95

Left field has shown flashes of power (9 homers, 23 XBH), but it comes with a .216 batting average and just a 95 wRC+. Slightly below average. Not disastrous, but not good. The on-base percentage is decent (.311), but it hasn’t made up for the low contact rates or lack of speed.

If anything, Brandon Marsh should be your everyday centerfielder when Johan Rojas is your only other option. Max Kepler is too inconsistent to be playing everyday in left and Weston Wilson should have been DFA’d weeks ago.

Andrew Painter: The Ace-in-Waiting

You remember the name. Painter nearly made the big-league roster in 2023 before Tommy John surgery wiped out two seasons. Now he’s back, healthy, and throwing gas again. The Phillies have made it clear they want to get him to the majors this year, and there’s a real shot that could happen before the summer’s over.

Painter’s fastball touches 100 mph and averages 97. He’s got elite command (65-grade), a smooth delivery, and the kind of polish that makes you wonder how he’s still just 21 years old.

Andrew Painter back on track…

I was right, btw: Don’t panic on Andrew Painter—This is exactly what AAA is for

Andrew Painter could easily slide into a rotation spot or take on a hybrid bullpen role to build up innings. If he comes up and looks anything like the No. 5 overall prospect in baseball that he is, the Phillies might just be unlocking another gear as they enter the dog days in July.

The Phillies are 42-29 and currently find themselves trailing the New York Mets by 2.5 games in the NL East standings. They don’t need to rush anyone, but it’s hard to ignore the momentum.

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