Andrew Painter Has Earned a Postseason Roster Spot for Phillies

Should Andrew Painter be on the roster for the Philadelphia Phillies in the playoffs?

Sep 13, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Andrew Painter (24) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Philadelphia Phillies were unable to win their big series against the Atlanta Braves, but they were able to avoid being swept on Sunday. 

As the season gets close to winding down, the Phillies are closing in on clinching a playoff berth. With a win on Sunday and some help from the Texas Rangers, it was a good day for Philadelphia. 

However, coming into the weekend, the team was hoping to gain some ground against the Braves in the National League East and put some real pressure on them. Unfortunately, that was not able to happen, and the team lost the series, and winning the division seems unlikely. 

While it might not have been the weekend that the Phillies were hoping for, they did see a good performance from their starter Andrew Painter on Sunday. In a game that they really needed to win to snap their three-game losing streak, the young right-hander battled through to give them a good start. With the strong outing, Painter’s postseason role should be clear. 

Painter Has Earned Roster Spot for Playoffs 

Sep 8, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Andrew Painter (24) throws a pitch against the Houston Astros in the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Even though the starting rotation for the Phillies is pretty loaded right now, Painter has done enough of late that he deserves to be on the playoff roster. 

While the fifth starter for a team isn’t guaranteed to be on the playoff roster, Painter has seemingly earned it with how he has pitched of late. 

If Philadelphia is in the three-game Wild Card series to like it appears right now, they are going to be able to utilize their star trio with Cristopher Sanchez, Zack Wheeler, and hopefully a healthy Jesus Luzardo. 

However, with every playoff game being so meaningful, having someone like Painter coming out of the bullpen who would be able to give the team multiple innings if needed could be a great weapon. 

Over five starts in August, he was able to record an ERA of 3.95, which is certainly deserving of being on a playoff roster. On Sunday, with the team needing a win to avoid being swept, it was Painter who delivered. 

In the no-decision, Painter was able to come through with a solid outing, allowing just one run in five innings of work. Even though the Braves put a lot of pressure on him with baserunners, he was able to avoid the big innings. 

While it is no secret that the right-hander struggled to begin the year, he has been solid now for the last month and a half, and his being on the playoff roster is something that he deserves.