Philly Leader

Andrew Painter's return to the mound in the Arizona Fall League has been closely watched, and his recent performance added another chapter to his comeback story. Despite not being at his best, the Phillies' right-hander delivered three no-hit innings in Glendale's 6-0 victory over Scottsdale. Painter acknowledged struggles with fastball command but compensated by relying on his curveball.

"Obviously not where I want it to be with it, but it’s all part of it," Painter stated. "I had to make up for it. I relied on the curveball a little bit to do that. At the end of the day, I got it done."

Painter's fellow Tommy John surgery returnee, Christian McGowan, also impressed during Glendale's earlier game in the doubleheader. McGowan pitched five innings, allowing one run on four hits and two walks while striking out four.

"It was good," McGowan said about his outing. "Five innings is a lot, but at the same time, it's not."

McGowan faced adversity with injuries since undergoing surgery after just two starts in 2022 and dealing with a back issue in 2024. However, he remains optimistic about overcoming these challenges.

"It’s a lot of adversity but also if you have faith in the Lord and trust that this is the process," McGowan expressed.

Offensively, Otto Kemp provided crucial support for McGowan by hitting a grand slam that broke a tie and gave Glendale a significant lead.

"Bases loaded, no outs, I know the pressure’s on him," Kemp explained regarding his approach at bat.

Kemp aims to refine his skills further following inspiration from former Phillie Oliver Dunn's success story last year.

"Seeing Dunny and what he did last year...it catches your eye," Kemp noted.

Both Painter and Kemp have mutual respect for each other's journey through recovery and performance improvements as they aim towards future opportunities with Philadelphia.

"I think this org has come a long way," Painter commented on their progress together alongside other teammates like McGowan who share similar experiences post-surgery rehabilitation efforts within MLB organizations today."