Andrew Painter likely has a ‘thin’ right elbow, and is undergoing tests

CLEARWATER, FL — Andrew Painter has a sore elbow, and the Phillies are holding their breath.

Two days after making his spring training debut, Painter told the team that his right elbow felt a “slight tenderness,” manager Rob Thompson said Friday. Instead of going through the workday between starts, baseball’s agreed-upon bet left BayCare Ballpark and went for tryouts. He did not return before the end of the Phillies’ 6-3 loss to the Tigers.

Thompson declined to explain what kind of test was done but said the Phillies are waiting for the results.

Read more: Teaching Phillies phenom Andrew Painter included drills (and hoops) with Max Scherzer

We will have more information [Saturday] Thompson said. “That’s all I can say for now.”

Painter, 19, is vying for last place in the Phillies’ starting rotation — and he might be the frontrunner for the job. He allowed one run in two innings and threw 29 pitches on Wednesday against the Twins in Fort Myers, Florida.

Thompson then noticed the starter that Painter threw a first pitch fastball to all eight batters. Painter threw 19 heaters against the Twins, topping out at 99 mph with back-to-back pitches against superstar Carlos Correa. He did not throw any curveballs or changeups but rather mixed in the cutter, which he only recently caught.

“We may have thrown a lot of fastballs, but he’s got a good fastball,” pitching coach Caleb Cotham said Friday before Thompson revealed his painter’s elbow pain. It was just being him. We don’t do a lot of game planning. It’s more just, ‘Go out and do your thing.’ You can always say, ‘Hey, we should have done this or that.’ But it was very good. It is as it is. Advertised. And it will get better.”

When asked directly if Painter had come off his first start without trouble, Cotham replied in the affirmative. But he also notes that the Phillies planned to use the March 8th and March 13th holidays to space out Painter’s Beginnings.

It is now clear that any change in the painter’s schedule may require more than just days off.

Read more: How the Phillies create a roadmap for getting the most out of Andrew Painter now and in the long run

The painter has impressed his older classmates throughout the camp with his talent and maturity.

“He’s got a straight fastball. It’s easy,” said veteran rookie Taejuan Walker. “And for him to be only 19 years old, it’s very touching the way he carries himself, the way he goes about his business. It will be really special.”

Painter is trying to become the first 19-year-old player to break camp with the Phillies since Larry Christenson in 1973. If he starts before his birthday, April 10, he will be the first teenage pitcher to start a game for the team since Mark Davis in 1980.

For now, though, the Phillies are simply hoping for positive news about the state of the painter’s facility.