After a rocky start to the season, the Philadelphia Phillies have gotten back on track and appear poised for another playoff run. However, a significant issue remains: starting pitcher Andrew Painter is not helping their cause—he’s actually making things worse.
In 2025, Painter was viewed as the Phillies’ top prospect, but his first full MLB season has been a struggle. Over 13 appearances (11 starts), he owns a 6.43 ERA, allowing 1.7 home runs per nine innings while striking out just 7.1 batters per nine.
The underlying metrics are just as concerning. According to Baseball Savant, Painter ranks in the 5th percentile in Pitching Run Value. His fastball has been particularly ineffective, also sitting in the 5th percentile for Fastball Run Value. His breaking ball fares slightly better at the 26th percentile, and his off-speed pitches rank 30th. Simply put, it’s been a rough year.
Unsurprisingly, rumors are circulating that the Phillies may seek at least a short-term replacement for Painter. The most logical avenue would be the Trade Deadline, where several options could emerge.
Boston Red Sox SP Sonny Gray Named a Possible Addition for the Phillies
Early in the season, both the Red Sox and Phillies endured frustrating starts, leading to both teams firing their managers. While Philadelphia turned things around, Boston continued to spiral. Now, the Red Sox appear headed for a fire sale.
That situation caught the attention of Cole Weintraub of NBC Sports Philadelphia, who explained why veteran Sonny Gray could be a sensible rental option to replace Painter.
“The 36-year-old doesn’t make the Phillies younger, but if the front office believes its clearest path to a championship is through dominant pitching, this is the kind of move it could explore,” Weintraub wrote. “Gray has been sharp in his first year in Boston after being traded from St. Louis in the offseason. He has a 3.03 ERA in 12 starts. He’s a different pitcher than the three-time All-Star fans remember. He once relied heavily on his four-seam fastball, but this year he’s using his cutter about as often or even a bit more.”
“Gray is generating more groundballs than he has in years and still commands the strike zone well, even while adjusting to the ABS system with reduced velocity. Boston is a disappointing 28-39 and had to send out three prospects to acquire Gray over the winter, so he won’t come cheap. The veteran also has a mutual option for next season at $30 million, which effectively makes him a rental. It’s hard to imagine any team being happy paying a 37-year-old that much, but clubs would welcome Gray as the missing piece in their rotation.”
Given his veteran experience and contract situation $11 million this year with a $30 million mutual option for 2027—Gray is a likely rental. It’s a safe bet he’ll reach free agency rather than having the option exercised.
“A move like this would show how aggressive the Phillies want to be not just in reaching the postseason, but in building a rotation capable of winning there,” Weintraub concluded.
Andrew Painter on What Needs to Change
Ideally, the Phillies wouldn’t need to trade for a pitcher. The best-case scenario is that Andrew Painter figures things out and earns their trust in the second half.
If there’s a silver lining, Painter believes he knows where to focus his adjustments starting with throwing more strikes.
“You know, I made a couple of adjustments. I made some bad pitches in the third that led to homers, but I just have to dig deep and attack guys, be aggressive in the zone. There wasn’t a ton of hard contact a few bloop hits here and there but outside of the homers, I just need to be more aggressive,” Painter said.
“It comes down to command. It’s a tough way to start a game when you walk three of the first four hitters. You’re not giving yourself a chance. I just need to command the ball better and be more aggressive in the zone.”
Painter has allowed five home runs over his last three starts. Before that, he seemed to find a rhythm, giving up only five runs across a three-start stretch. If he can rediscover that form, he could still turn his season around.
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