Philadelphia Phillies fans read three of the most crushing words in the MLB lexicon on Wednesday afternoon regarding Andrew Painter: Tommy John surgery.
Although it’s not official that the prized pitching prospect will undergo the procedure, it certainly seems to be headed that way.
According to a report by Matt Gelb of The Athletic, Painter’s agent, Scott Boras, “is said to be in agreement” with the team’s assessment.
The announcement comes just hours after 94 WIP Sports Radio host James Seltzer recommended that the Phillies try to trade Painter to the San Diego Padres in exchange for All-Star outfielder Juan Soto. Even though that was simply a proposal from a Philadelphia media member, that idea can now be thrown out the window.
Painter is MLB.com’s eighth-best prospect but had just one spring training start earlier this year before undergoing his initial MRI. The righty will be 22 years old in 2025 when he presumably will be healthy and ready to pitch again.
Recovery timelines from Tommy John surgery are fluid though and the organization knows that firsthand with the recent remarkable return of Bryce Harper.
The former NL MVP had his procedure in late November 2022 and was (optimistically) projected to be back on the field in some capacity in July. Harper stunned MLB fans in early May though, when he came back as Philadelphia’s designated hitter just 159 days after the surgery.
The next step for Harper will be actually returning to the diamond on defense, which is expected to come at first base in the near future.
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