The Philadelphia Phillies have some questions regarding their starting rotation. Andrew Painter’s demotion to Triple-A leaves a hole, but their corresponding moves may indicate a potential plan.
Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports that the Phillies have selected right-hander Bryse Wilson. Wilson triggered the upward mobility clause on his minor league deal following a 12-inning scoreless streak with Lehigh Valley. The Phillies already had an open 40-man spot before this move.
Gelb also reports that the right-hander will be available out of the bullpen during the upcoming series against the Mets. His last outing came on June 11, so he should be able to provide multiple innings in relief.
The need for relief stems from a tired bullpen. As a result of Painter’s short start against the Miami Marlins, they needed to use six relievers to get 20 of the final 21 outs. Their middle relievers took on a significant workload in the Marlins series, due to the lopsided scoring in all the games.
That’s why the roster moves also included recalling Seth Johnson and optioning Tanner Banks. Banks was unavailable after pitching three of the last four days, which is why he got sent down
What Bryse Wilson’s Addition to the Roster Means for the Phillies
The Bryse Wilson addition doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a sure bet to assume Painter’s rotation spot. The Phillies probably won’t decide who to go with until after the upcoming series against the New York Mets concludes.
Timing will be everything over the next four days. The decision will come down to simply which pitchers are available when the Mets series is over. Andrew Painter’s vacated rotation spot doesn’t come up again until June 23, so whoever starts that game will have advance notice.
If Wilson were to pitch the series opener against the Mets, he could still be a rotation option. It will depend on whether he can stretch out further from 44 pitches in his last appearance in Triple-A. There aren’t many situations in which he can do that. If his next outing is a short one, he’s probably not an option to start in the next turn.
There are a lot of moving parts in how the Phillies will try to replace Painter. Wilson is one option, but they also have Alan Rangel in Triple-A as well. Both starters are stopgap options while the Phillies pursue more substantial upgrades to their rotation ahead of the deadline.
How the Phillies Can Replace Andrew Painter in the Rotation
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – MAY 07: Don Mattingly, interim manager for the Philadelphia Phillies, takes the ball from Andrew Painter #24 during a pitching change during a game against the Athletics at Citizens Bank Park on May 07, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Thanks to the off-day on June 19, the Phillies have multiple options with their rotation. It will come down to the decision of Bryse Wilson vs. Alan Rangel for the fifth starter spot.
How the Phillies proceed will likely be determined when Wilson pitches in the Mets series. If he doesn’t pitch on the 18th, it increases the odds that Rangel starts on the 23rd. He’ll be operating on five days’ rest and can be optioned to Triple-A if it doesn’t go well.
If the Phillies choose Rangel over Wilson for the fifth starter role, they have two options for the latter pitcher. They can either keep Wilson as a long reliever or designate the right-hander for assignment. He has no options remaining and can reject an outright assignment. He would be a free agent in that case.
With Andrew Painter and Aaron Nola’s struggles, starting pitching became a more urgent need at the trade deadline. Philadelphia doesn’t necessarily need a frontline starter for its rotation. Instead, the target should be someone they envision as their Game 4 starter, should they advance to the Divisional Series.
Phillies Add Veteran Arm Amid Andrew Painter Rotation Questions