Phillies painter to lay off four weeks with sprained ACL

Phillies Prospective pitcher Andrew Painter sprained his right proximal ulnar collateral ligament last week and will rest for four weeks from the date of the injury before beginning a slight pitching progression, the team announced Friday. Here’s what you need to know:

Painter arrived at camp on March 2 with a “sore” elbow after pitching the day before. He underwent an MRI on March 3 that revealed the sprain, the team said, and sought a second opinion from well-known surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

The 19-year-old painter — Philly’s best prospect and the No. 13 prospect in baseball, according to The Athletic’s Keith Law, had been in the running to make the Opening Day rotation.

Painter threw 29 pitches in a Grapefruit League game on March 1, allowing one run and three hits in two innings.

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The Phillies selected the 6-foot-7 right-hander out of high school with the 13th overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft.

Painter began the 2022 season at Low-A Clearwater and finished it at Double-A Reading while posting a 1.56 ERA and striking out 39 percent of the hitters he faced. Making the Phillies’ rotation before he turns 20 on April 10 would have been a rare feat: Only four teenagers have thrown a pitch in the majors since 1992.

How does the injury affect Painter’s development?

It’s not the worst case scenario for Painter and the Phillies, but this diagnosis won’t allay long-term fears about Painter’s future. While many UCL sprains can heal with rest, it is possible that when Painter resumes his pitching schedule in April he will still be in pain, and the club needs to reassess the situation.