The Philadelphia Phillies are once again facing uncertainty surrounding Andrew Painter, although this time the concern stems from a different issue.
The highly touted rookie right-hander appeared to be settling into another strong outing Wednesday night against the Washington Nationals before left hamstring tightness forced him to leave after four innings.
Painter initially felt something in the hamstring during the first inning, but continued pitching before the discomfort eventually became too noticeable to ignore.
The Phillies later suffered a 10-4 defeat, and the club plans to reevaluate Painter on Thursday.
Painter remained optimistic that the injury is not serious, but his early departure is another unwanted development for a young pitcher who has already experienced a difficult season.
The 21-year-old had been sent to Triple-A in June after struggling through his first 14 major-league appearances, posting a 7.06 ERA.
After making five starts with Lehigh Valley, Painter returned to Philadelphia shortly before the trade deadline and was attempting to establish himself again in the rotation.
His four-seam fastball averaged 95.6 mph against Washington, slightly below his 96.6 mph season average.
Painter was not the only Phillies player to suffer an injury during the chaotic game. Outfielder Derek Hill was forced to leave in the 11th inning after sprinting into the center-field wall while chasing a deep fly ball.
Hill remained on the ground for several minutes before eventually walking off under his own power with members of the medical staff.
He was diagnosed with a right shoulder contusion, although interim manager Don Mattingly said the team would continue evaluating him.
Bryce Harper also required medical attention after his hand appeared to get caught awkwardly while sliding into second base during the 10th inning, but he remained in the game.
The injuries overshadowed an otherwise wild night that eventually turned into a rout.
After Hill’s collision, CJ Abrams delivered a go-ahead two-run triple, and Washington added four more runs in the inning.
Both clubs exhausted their available pitching and position-player options, forcing the Nationals to use Miles Mikolas as a pinch-hitter.
The Phillies ultimately used their entire bullpen, making Painter’s early exit even more significant.
Philadelphia had explored the starting-pitching market before the trade deadline but failed to acquire another starter, leaving the club with limited depth if Painter or another member of the rotation is forced to miss time.
