The Phillies didn’t add any pieces to their starting rotation at the trade deadline this week, so what they have is what they have; in other words, not much. On Wednesday night, a scare rippled through the organization when Andrew Painter slipped on the wet mound and grimaced after delivering a pitch. He left after throwing just 63 pitches in four innings of work.
Painter, 23, was reevaluated Thursday and All signs point to him being able to make his next scheduled start on Monday in St. Louis. In what was his second start since being recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Painter allowed one earned run on three hits and a walk in his four innings and set down four batters on strikeouts. Of his 63 pitches, 37 were for strikes.
The game turned out to be a 10-4 Phillies loss in 11 innings and interim manager Don Mattingly had to empty the bullpen to get through the 11 innings.
“Super frustrating. My job is to go and eat innings and take that off the bullpen, and the game tonight went a little longer than expected, so the bullpen had to do a little more work,” Painter told reporters following Wednesday’s game.
The injury first happened in the first inning on a pitch to Daylen Lile when Painter’s foot appeared to stick as he spun off the mound toward first base on a 96-mph fastball. After that pitch, Painter’s velocity on his fastball dropped from a season average of 96.9-mph to 95.6-mph.
“Obviously, he pitched a couple more innings after that, but it just started to get tight on him,” Mattingly told reporters Wednesday night. “So, obviously, we’re going to be careful there and get him out of there.”
Hill hits a wall – hard
With Alumni Weekend coming to Citizens Bank Park this weekend, maybe Derek Hill was doing his best Aaron Rowand impression when he crashed into the fence at full speed attempting to make a catch in the top of the 11th. Hill left the game after taking a couple of minutes to get up off of the turf and walking back to the dugout under his own power.
Hill did not play in Thursday night’s game, but with right-hander Miles Mikolas making the start, Hill wouldn’t normally have been in the lineup. Bryan De La Cruz came in defensively for Bryce Harper in right field, a spot where Hill might have been the choice.
Currently, Hill is listed as day-to-day with a right shoulder contusion.
Harper’s hand
Between the injuries to Painter and Hill, Harper jammed his hand when he attempted to steal second base in the bottom of the 10th. Harper’s hand appeared to stick in the dirt when he slid. After being evaluated by the medical staff, Harper stayed in the game and was back in right field on Thursday night.
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