The summer heat in Lehigh Valley carried more than just the weight of August baseball; it carried expectation. Phillies fans have been waiting all season for the day a 22-year-old phenom would trade his Triple-A uniform for the bright lights of Citizens Bank Park. Every start has been dissected, every pitch charted, because the question hasn’t been if he’ll arrive, but when.

That pitcher is Andrew Painter, once viewed as a near-lock to debut in the “July-ish” window, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, had teased months ago. Now, with that date firmly in the rearview, Painter’s path has grown bumpier. His latest outing for Triple-A Lehigh Valley unraveled quickly, seven earned runs on nine hits in 4⅓ innings, including a towering 436-foot home run off the bat of Yankees prospect Spencer Jones. It was his second straight rough start, and his ERA has climbed to 5.42 across 16 games.

“Command again,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said bluntly after watching every pitch. “The stuff’s there, and I thought [Sunday’s] command was better than the time before. He just got hit a little bit more, that’s all.”

After a layoff due to Tommy John surgery, Painter has somehow managed to maintain his velocity since his return in July 2023. But his command remains inconsistent, and fatigue is creeping in. This year’s 87⅔ innings represent his heaviest workload since 2022, when he threw 103⅔ before the injury. “It’s normal,” Thomson insisted. “I really do. I’m not concerned about it at all.”

For all the excitement, there’s a divide between what’s being promised and what’s actually happening now. The Phillies’ decision to hold onto Painter at the trade deadline says a lot. They clearly think he’s got a future ahead of him. But Thomson’s tone made it clear a promotion isn’t imminent. Instead, the club may build extra rest into his schedule to help him finish the season strong. “I wouldn’t close the door on it,” Thomson said of a 2025 call-up, “because anything can happen… but he’s got to be ready.”

That readiness, especially in the command department, will determine whether Painter’s debut happens this season or becomes a storyline for next year’s spring training. Until then, the Phillies are walking a tightrope between preserving his future and addressing their present rotation needs. Fans may still dream of seeing him on the mound at Citizens Bank Park before the season’s end, but for now, Thomson’s blunt assessment serves as a reminder: the road from top prospect to major league contributor is rarely a straight line.

Rotation watch: Wheeler’s dip, Nola’s return, and managing the stretch run

Something was off with Zack Wheeler’s fastball on Sunday. It barely touched 96 mph. That’s a drop, about 2 mph slower than what we’re used to seeing from him. This kind of slowdown can raise some flags, at least it would, for teams. But inside the Phillies clubhouse, neither Wheeler nor manager Thomson is losing sleep. Wheeler, who reported shoulder soreness last week and had his start pushed back two days, said he felt “perfectly normal” afterward and is back on track for a regular bullpen session before his next outing. It’s a reminder that even aces feel the grind when innings start stacking up in August.

That grind is why the Phillies are seriously considering a six-man rotation once Aaron Nola returns from his rehab assignment. Nola is set to pitch Tuesday for Triple-A Lehigh Valley and could slot back into the big-league staff immediately afterward. Adding him to the mix would give Wheeler, Jesús Luzardo, whose 133 innings nearly double last year’s total, and the rest of the rotation a breather without sacrificing quality starts. Thomson admits the idea has merit, especially after “riding these guys pretty hard all year.”

The push to October isn’t just about surviving; it’s about keeping the rotation sharp when it matters most. José Alvarado’s scoreless rehab inning and Alec Bohm’s return to game action are encouraging signs, but the bigger picture is clear: the Phillies are managing every arm with an eye on the postseason. If they can balance rest and results over the next six weeks, they’ll enter October with their top starters not just available, but dangerous.