Saturday, April 26

PHILADELPHIA – The Phillies always expected to have one of the best rotations in baseball this season.

They have pitched like it through the season’s first nine games.

After Sunday’s series finale against the Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park, the rotation has a 2.87 ERA, fourth in the National League. Zack Wheeler has pitched like an NL Cy Young candidate in his two starts. Jesús Luzardo has dazzled, striking out 19 and allowing only two runs in his first two starts for a new organization. Cristopher Sánchez pitched well in the home opener last week before allowing four runs in 5 2/3 innings vs. the Dodgers on Sunday. Aaron Nola has struggled with allowing home runs in his two starts, but he should be close to 30 starts and 200 innings by the end of the season, like always.

And the best story of the week: Taijuan Walker pitched six scoreless frames in his debut on Thursday.

The Phillies would feel good about those five, if that’s all they had. But they’ve got Ranger Suárez and Andrew Painter on the way, too.

Suárez was projected to open the season in the rotation, but he suffered a back injury in Spring Training. He threw a live BP last week in Clearwater, Fla., and could begin a rehab assignment soon.

The Phillies said last month that he could be back before the end of April.

Painter is taking his next step toward a potential midsummer promotion. Phillies manager Rob Thomson said the 21-year-old will start on Friday for Single-A Clearwater. It will be his first start in a Minor League game since Sept. 16, 2022.

Painter, who is baseball’s No. 7 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, suffered a right elbow injury in March 2023, then had Tommy John surgery in July 2023. He spent more than a year recovering and rehabbing from the surgery, before making six starts last fall in the Arizona Fall League.

Painter spent this spring in big-league camp, even though he did not pitch in a Grapefruit League game. It allowed the Phillies’ athletic training staff to keep a close eye on somebody the organization thinks can join the rotation by “July-ish,” according to president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski.

It also allowed Painter to be surrounded by his future teammates, like Wheeler and left-hander Matt Strahm, whose lockers were next to him at BayCare Ballpark.

Don’t expect Painter to throw a bunch of innings on Friday. Two innings is a reasonable expectation as the Phils slowly build him up after such a long layoff. Also, expect him to start only once a week. Pitchers in the lower levels typically start once a week. Pitchers at the higher levels occasionally start on Tuesdays and Sunday, giving them two starts per week.

The Phillies want to be careful with Painter, whom they believe will be a star one day. They also want to make sure they control his workload early, so he can pitch for them late in the season.

Luzardo’s 19 strikeouts in his first two Phillies starts are the third most in franchise history. Which Phillies pitcher has the most?

A. Roy Halladay

B. Vince Velasquez

C. Curt Schilling

D. Aaron Harang

The Phillies begin a six-game road trip on Tuesday night in Atlanta.
Here are the pitching matchups:

Tuesday: Wheeler (1-0, 1.38 ERA) vs. Chris Sale (0-1, 5.40 ERA)

Wednesday: Walker (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Grant Holmes (0-1, 7.20 ERA)

Thursday: Luzardo (2-0, 1.50 ERA) vs. RHP Spencer Schwellenbach (1-0, 0.00 ERA)

The Phillies finish the weekend in St. Louis, before opening a seven-game homestand on April 14 against the Giants and Marlins. There will be a Nick Castellanos wristband giveaway on April 19 and the Phanatic’s birthday on April 20.

Pete Rose plays his first game for the Phillies on April 6, 1979, going 1-for-3 with a walk in an 8-1 loss to the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.

B. Vince Velasquez

He had 25 strikeouts in his first two starts for the Phillies in 2016.

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