The Philadelphia Phillies’ top prospect, Andrew Painter, may be arriving in the major leagues this season, as expressed by manager Rob Thomson.

“July-ish” had been the answer for some time, but the Phillies manager offered a more exact answer, indicating Painter may make his debut following this All-Star break.

Painter underwent Tommy John surgery in July 2023 after flirting with a roster spot during spring training. Painter did not make his debut before going under the knife, but he is putting himself back into the conversation of the Phillies’ rotation. Painter has only thrown 28 1/3 innings this season in the minors and is scheduled to extend into the sixth inning for the first time during his start on Wednesday.

While Thomson expressed his expected arrival of the Phillies’ top prospect, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said the situation is evolving. Dombrowski went on the New York Post podcast “The Show”, expressing that the pitching staff is performing well and that “by no means is it guaranteed he’s coming up to the major leagues in July.”

Dombrowski has been around the game for a long time and knows that he cannot rely on set timelines when returning from injuries or calling players up. If Painter is needed after the All-Star break, then he will likely be with the team and make his debut. If he is not needed — or suffers any setbacks — he likely will spend more time with Lehigh Valley before making the trip to Philadelphia.

Painter has been the highest-touted pitching prospect for the Phillies in a long time, and the anticipation for his arrival will continue to grow as the season continues.

More MLB: Dodgers Reportedly Add Former Reds All-Star Closer To Injured Relief Corps