The Philadelphia Phillies are facing challenges this season, particularly with Andrew Painter's fastball performance. His recent struggles against the Athletics indicate a significant issue beyond mere bad luck.
Phillies have a worrisome Andrew Painter fastball problem originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Philadelphia Phillies have had a bit of a rough season so far, and while the Don Mattingly era has gone much better than how it began with Rob Thomson, there is still plenty to be worried about.
For Philadelphia, there are a few areas of concern still with the team, one of which is Alec Bohm's struggles at the plate, but the most recent is Andrew Painter's latest blowup start against the Athletics.
As Todd Zolecki of MLB.com highlighted, Painter isn't simply getting unlucky; there is a real problem, and it has to do with his fastball.
"Painter's fastballs average a combined 96.2 mph, which is almost 2 mph faster than the league average (94.3 mph)," Zolecki writes. "But they have generated only 15 whiffs out of 160 swings, including just three of 23 on Thursday. The 9.4% whiff rate ranks 118th out of 124 pitchers (minimum 100 swings)."
Andrew Painter is experiencing significant problems with his fastball, which have been highlighted as a major concern for the Phillies.
Painter's struggles have contributed to the overall challenges the Phillies are facing in what has been a rough season.
If Painter's fastball issues persist, it could hinder the Phillies' chances of improving their performance and competing effectively this season.
Foster Griffin struck out a season-high nine batters over seven innings, leading the Nationals to a 3-2 victory against the Marlins. Jacob Young contributed with a two-run homer in the first inning.
Misiorowski shines with 12 strikeouts as Brewers defeat Yankees 6-0
Brooklyn Nets set to select Caleb Wilson over Darryn Peterson in 2026 NBA Draft.
Shakira Austin leads Mystics to 68-65 win over Tempo in opener
The Philadelphia 76ers surprised teachers and healthcare workers by giving away 500 free tickets for Game 3 of their playoff series against the New York Knicks. Recipients included educators from Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey, as well as healthcare workers from local hospitals.
Packers officially cut ties with Super Bowl champion kicker Brandon McManus
See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.
The Phillies righty is struggling a bit this season, and his fastball is one of the main reasons why. His fastball is a core component of his game, and it's not working.
This season, Painter is 1-4 with a 6.89 ERA with 30 strikeouts and one of the worst fastballs in the Majors.
He's 23 years old, and this most recent outing, where he allowed eight runs in 3.2 innings of work, was about as bad as it's gotten.
The reason why his fastball isn't as good as it should be is that the movement on the pitch isn't nearly enough to fool hitters.
Zolecki shared how Painter's four-seam fastball has "-0.7 inches less vertical break and -3.2 inches less horizontal break, while his sinker averages -4.0 inches less vertical break and -2.6 inches less horizontal break."
The Phillies' young righty isn't pitching as well as fans or the team were hoping for, and his fastball is a huge reason why.
This is a very worrisome issue, as if Painter's fastball can't get by hitters, then he will continue to struggle this season and for the rest of his career.
Hopefully, Painter can figure out this issue with his fastball. Otherwise, it's going to be a very long and arduous season.