Andrew Painter gave the Philadelphia Phillies another reason to feel encouraged about their rotation Saturday, and interim manager Don Mattingly believes the biggest change has been the rookie’s confidence on the mound.
Painter delivered the strongest start of his young career against the St. Louis Cardinals, allowing one run over seven innings while striking out eight in Philadelphia’s 12-3 victory.
Mattingly pointed specifically to Painter’s demeanor when explaining the right-hander’s recent improvement.
“The biggest thing for me is body language,” Mattingly said, via NBC Sports Philadelphia. “On the mound, there’s a presence. He’s on the attack. He looks confident.”
That aggressive approach was evident throughout Saturday’s outing. Painter threw 103 pitches and did not issue a walk while working through seven innings against a Cardinals lineup that struggled to generate consistent offense.
The performance also represented a significant step forward after Painter dealt with difficult stretches earlier in his rookie season. The 23-year-old entered the start with a 6.55 ERA through his first 18 appearances, leaving plenty of room for improvement as he adjusted to a full major league workload.
Painter’s latest outing came after he returned from the injured list following a left hamstring strain. Rather than easing back into the rotation, he has continued building his workload while showing the kind of composure the Phillies expected from one of their top pitching prospects.
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The timing could be important for Philadelphia. With the postseason approaching, a confident Painter gives the Phillies another potential rotation weapon alongside their established starters.
Mattingly’s comments suggest the Phillies are seeing more than improved results. Painter is attacking hitters with greater conviction, and that change in approach could prove just as important as anything showing up in the box score.
For a young pitcher still learning at the major league level, that confidence may be the clearest sign yet that Painter is beginning to find his footing.
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