SURPRISE, Arizona — Best Phillies Pitching prospect Andrew Painter completed the next step in his recovery from Tommy John elbow surgery by making his sixth and final start in the Arizona Fall League on Tuesday. Pitching for the Glendale Desert Dogs, he allowed one run on two hits and two walks and struck out six in 2⅔ innings against the Surprise Saguaros.

The 21-year-old right-hander threw 53 pitches, including 33 strikeouts. Painter threw 28 fastballs, 16 sliders, seven curveballs and two changeups. He averaged 95.8 mph on his fastball and hit 98.9 mph.

“(I feel) pretty good,” Painter said. “Towards the end of the season, his fastball handling was a little poor, but that’s all part of it. … Obviously, I would have loved to have thrown three (hits), but the number of pitches went up. (I) would have loved to have gone three, but (I) came away healthy and that’s all you can ask for.” This.”

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Painter missed the 2023 and 2024 seasons because he tore the UCL in his elbow during 2023 spring training. He underwent Tommy John surgery in July 2023. He has been rehabbing in the AFL for the last five weeks.

Painter had three strikeouts in his previous three starts. The Phillies had him strike out two innings in each of his first two AFL starts before increasing his workload to three innings. There was a rigorous pitch count at each start and the count was not released to the media.

Painter had a 2.30 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and 18 strikeouts in six starts and 15⅔ innings. He ranks second in the AFL in ERA and first in WHIP. Painter is the leading candidate to win the AFL’s Bowler of the Year Award, which will be announced at Saturday’s league championship game. Painter hasn’t reported any hiccups and is pleased with how his time in the Fall League has gone.

“I thought that was good,” Painter said. “I can say when I came here I just wanted to compete, understand my stuff, feel confident going into 2025 and leave healthy. Now I’m just thinking about the offseason and getting ready to go into it. Going into a game and a competitive atmosphere you have to make adjustments and plan everything out.” You don’t have time for it, you kind of have to go.”

Painter had trouble in the first inning when he allowed the game’s first three batters to reach base and loaded the bases for Jac Caglianone of the Kansas City Royals, the 6th overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft. Painter walked leadoff man Alejandro Osuna, gave up a hit to Cleveland Guardians prospect Chase DeLauter, then walked Royals catcher Carter Jensen.

But Painter was able to limit the damage by allowing a sacrifice fly to score before getting Texas Rangers shortstop Max Acosta and Baltimore Orioles left fielder Douglas Hodo out of the fumble.

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Caglianone’s sacrifice fly set up the first run Painter had surrendered in his previous 11 at-bats.

Painter raced down the sideline on the second shot. His day was cut short in the third inning when he reached his pitch count limit with a runner on first base and two outs and Caglianone walked out.

With the AFL on the books, Painter isn’t sure what to expect before spring training in February.

“I don’t know yet,” Painter said. “We are not over this issue yet. They want me out of here after I finish what I have to do here and now they’re trying to turn the next page and figure this out. I feel good. Going into 2025, I got my feet wet and had to compete in a competitive atmosphere. I feel better as I progress.”