The Phillies tried for more than four months to avoid this outcome with top pitching prospect Andrew Painter but their medical staff is now recommending he undergo Tommy John surgery on his injured right elbow, the team announced in a statement Wednesday afternoon.
Painter has been shut down from throwing since March 2 with a strained ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow. The Phillies managed the injury conservatively, building Painter back up slowly, and he eventually threw bullpen sessions last month. He was slated to face hitters in live batting practice in early July but was shut down a second time when he began experiencing more elbow discomfort.
An MRI conducted within the last two weeks showed signs of healing in Painter's elbow, but the soreness didn't go away.
"While he was able to return to throwing bullpens and follow-up imaging has shown interval healing in his elbow, over the last few weeks, he continues to be symptomatic upon examination," the Phillies' statement read.
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"Considering the timing of the season and that Painter is still experiencing symptoms, the Phillies medical staff has recommended he undergo a right elbow UCL reconstruction with ulnar nerve transposition surgery."
Painter will have a surgical consultation with Dr. Neal ElAttrache on July 24 in Los Angeles. ElAttrache performed Bryce Harper's Tommy John surgery last November.
The timeline to return from Tommy John surgery tends to range from 12-to-18 months, making it highly unlikely Painter pitches much, if at all in 2024. He's only 20 years old and this is a major surgery, so the Phillies will be cautious with him every step of the way.
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He was in play to crack the opening day rotation in 2023 until the injury. Now, it looks like it will have to wait until 2025.
