PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Andrew Painter hopped of the mound in excitement in the fifth inning after his 97.2 mph fastball got James Wood to strike out for a second time.
Phillies fans — some groups called themselves Andrew’s Painters, others — waved paintbrushes and erupted in cheers with each strikeout for the rookie pitcher.
Painter delivered a masterpiece in his major league debut.
The 22-year-old Painter — considered to have one of the top arms in any level of baseball — tossed four-hit ball over 5 1/3 innings Tuesday against the Washington Nationals. Painter tipped his cap to the cheering crowd as he left the mound in the sixth after he allowed a one-out single to C.J. Abrams.
He struck out eight, walked one and allowed a run when Abrams scored on a run-scoring single by Daylen Lile off reliever Tanner Banks.
Painter received a rousing ovation as he made the long walk from the bullpen to the dugout before the game and kept the fans on their feet when he struck out Wood on a nasty 12-6 curveball to open the game. Painter kept the Nationals flailing at breaking balls and swinging over high hard stuff the rest of the game.
“I just want him to go out there and be himself, because his stuff is good,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said ahead of the game. “Keep his composure, which I’m sure he will, just knowing the person. But I’m excited for him. It’s always exciting for a guy making his debut.”
He mixed curves, sweepers and sliders with a fastball that nearly touched 100 mph and flashed every bit of greatness that has been predicted of him since he was the 13th overall pick in the 2021 amateur draft and signed for a $3.9 million bonus.
Painter sprinted through Philadelphia’s system in 2022, going 6-2 with a 1.48 ERA in 26 appearances spread across two Class A teams and Double-A Reading.
He hurt his elbow during spring training in 2023 and had later that year.
The 6-foot-7 right-hander emerged the top candidate to win the Phillies’ fifth starter job as he attempted to crack the rotation before his 20th birthday. Instead, the injury set him back at least two seasons, and he went 5-8 with a 5.26 ERA during two minor league stops last season.
The Phillies were never concerned with his record. They wanted to see how his elbow and arm held up over a career-best 118 innings pitched.
He’s been deemed good to go and joins a stout rotation that this season will include Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo.
“It’s definitely been a long road,” Painter said ahead of Monday’s game. “Grateful for it. Grateful for all the failure. Last year was a tough one. But I think I learned a lot from it.”
The two-time reigning NL East champion Phillies gave him needed run support with solo home runs from Kyle Schwarber and Adolis Garcia. Painter left with the Phillies leading 3-0.
“This guy’s a pretty poised guy. He’s mature beyond his years,” Thomson said. “I think he’s in a pretty good spot. Just throwing strikes. Command the fastball, throw the off-speed where he wants to throw it and, really, if he does that, he’s going to have success.”
The first outing sure seemed like plenty of success would be on the way.
Considered the organization’s top pitching prospect since Cole Hamels, Painter entered the season among all prospects in baseball. Painter gave up seven hits and struck out eight in 11 2/3 innings in spring training this year.
Painter said he would try to keep calm while pitching in front of about 40 friends and family in his ticket group.
“Not super anxious,” he said. “Just trying to lean into the everyday process and just keep preparation, everything the same when I show up to the ballpark and let that stuff take care of itself.”
Painter took a knee before he ever threw a regular-season pitch. He posted proposal photos on Instagram in March with his girlfriend, Shelby.
What’s more nerve-wracking, proposing or taking the mound?
“I’m not sure,” Painter said with a laugh. “We’ll revisit that.”
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