Manager Rob Thompson said Friday that Painter will be part of the Phillies' rotation to start the 2026 season, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
With Zack Wheeler (shoulder) slated to start the new campaign on the sidelines, Painter has locked himself in to the Phillies' fifth rotation spot for the time being. The soon-to-be 23-year-old is one of the organization's top prospects and has cruised to a 2.31 ERA and 0.77 WHIP across 11.2 innings this spring.