Where Will Top Pitching Prospect Fit Into Rotation for Philadelphia Phillies?

The Philadelphia Phillies have had a quiet offseason despite an early desire in the winter to shake things up after a loss in the playoffs.

Last year, the Phillies saw their season come to an end much earlier than they would have liked. Considering they entered October with World Series aspirations, winning just one playoff game was a massive disappointment.

However, despite the early exit, Philadelphia hasn't made a major splash to shake things up.

Against the New York Mets, their bullpen was exposed a bit, and so was a majority of their outfield at the plate. The Phillies did add Jordan Romano to be their closer, as they hope he will regain his form from 2023.

While it might not have been a reason why they were eliminated from the postseason, the fifth starter spot in the rotation was a massive issue for them throughout the year.

Taijuan Walker was one of the worst starters in baseball, and coming into the winter, fixing that final spot in the rotation was very important. Luckily, it seems like they have accomplished that and the rotation is looking strong heading into 2025.

Joel Rueter of Bleacher Report recently spoke about what the rotation for the Phillies will look like in 2025. After the acquisition of Jesus Luzardo, it’s strong, but it does raise a question for the organization about where their top prospect will pitch in 2025.

“Andrew Painter is finally healthy after missing the 2023 and 2024 seasons recovering from Tommy John surgery. The 21-year-old shook off some rust in the Arizona Fall League where he won Pitcher of the Year honors, and he could be utilized as a bullpen weapon this year to help control his workload.”

This is certainly a good problem to have for Philadelphia heading into the season.

At just 21 years old, Painter might be a top prospect, but there is no need to rush him to the Majors. Since he missed a lot of time due to injury, building back up his arm strength and stamina will be a main goal this coming season.

The acquisition of Luzardo gives them a really strong option as the fifth starter to begin the year. If not for the trade, the Phillies might have felt pressured to bring up Painter sooner than they were initially planning.

Now, they can continue to be patient with their talented prospect with one of the best starting rotations in baseball, and if there is an injury, they know they have an elite prospect waiting for his opportunity.