The Philadelphia Phillies have received encouraging medical updates on pitcher Andrew Painter and outfielder Derek Hill, with both players expected to be available in the near future after leaving Wednesday night’s game against the Washington Nationals with injuries.
Interim manager Don Mattingly told reporters before Thursday’s series finale that the team received good reports on both players. He expects Painter to make his next scheduled start and indicated that Hill could potentially be available off the bench for Thursday’s game .
The positive prognosis comes as a relief for a Phillies team that has been navigating a thin starting rotation and outfield depth issues. Both players appeared to be in significant distress when they exited Wednesday’s 10-4 extra-inning loss.
Andrew Painter departed Wednesday’s start after just four innings due to left hamstring tightness . The rookie right-hander had been solid, allowing only one run on three hits with one walk and four strikeouts on 63 pitches before the coaching staff decided to remove him .
The injury occurred when Painter appeared to slip during a delivery in the first inning, with his foot sticking in the ground as he spun off the mound . He grimaced after the pitch but continued through the fourth inning before the hamstring tightened .
After the game, Painter expressed confidence about the injury’s severity: “I’m not too worried about it. I felt like I could have gone out there and still competed. They felt like they didn’t want to risk that” .
The team has not scheduled imaging for the injury, and Painter is expected to make his next start, tentatively scheduled for August 10 against the St. Louis Cardinals, provided he completes a bullpen session without issues .
Painter, 23, has struggled this season with a 1-8 record and 6.48 ERA over 16 appearances, but he has shown improvement since being recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, allowing three earned runs over 10 innings in two starts .
Center fielder Derek Hill suffered his injury during the 11th inning of Wednesday’s game when he crashed into the center-field wall attempting to catch a deep fly ball off the bat of CJ Abrams . The dramatic play allowed two runs to score as the ball rolled away, and Hill remained on the ground for several minutes before walking off with medical staff.
Despite the frightening collision, Hill is reportedly doing well. The 30-year-old has been productive since joining the Phillies in a June trade with the Chicago White Sox, posting a .268/.307/.507 slash line with five home runs and 13 RBIs over 24 games.
The injury updates come at a critical juncture for Philadelphia, which has been fighting for playoff positioning in the National League wild-card race . The team recently acquired three-time batting champion Luis Arraez from the Giants to bolster the lineup , but the starting rotation remains thin, making Painter’s health particularly important .
The bullpen was taxed heavily in Wednesday’s 11-inning contest, with every available reliever pitching after Painter’s early exit . Having both Painter and Hill avoid the injured list provides much-needed stability as the Phillies approach the final stretch of the regular season.
Leave a Reply