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Andrew Painter and Justin Crawford Remind Philadelphia That Everything Will Be Alright
By Luke Arcaini
Published:
Four games is nothing in a 162-game season. But when you’re a team that has fallen short for four straight years and only have one goal in mind, sometimes it feels like every contest matters.
The Phillies fell to the Nationals by a final score of 13-2 on Monday night, and if you went on Twitter or listened to the radio on Tuesday, it sounded like the sky was falling. A lifeless offense to start the year with questionable pitching performances, it was an ugly start for the 2026 Phillies.
But that’s the beauty of baseball. You don’t play one game a week like football. The benefit, and the downside at the same time, of the sport, is the ability to jump right back into the action in less than 24 hours.
Andrew Painter has been the golden prospect since he was selected by the Phillies in the 1st round of the 2021 MLB Draft. Justin Crawford was selected in the first round the very next year. Both of those players have been through something. Painter more than Crawford. But it isn’t a journey through the minor leagues without a setback.
286 million dollars. That’s the Phillies payroll in 2026. But over the first six games, it’s been the two 22-year-olds that have stolen the show.
Andrew Painter walked off of the mound in the sixth inning of Tuesday night’s game, but not before a tap on the chest from Phillies skipper Rob Thomson. “Did you enjoy it?” Thomson asked Painter. The rookie didn’t know what Thomson said, and shook his head no. He was still in the moment, even though he knew his night was over. Once Painter realized what Thomson said, he nodded yes. He strolled to the dugout while 40,000 fans stood out of their seats. Painter tipped his cap, to not just the fans, but to his family and friends in the stands, his teammates, and the Phillies.
Years of hard work all came down to that moment. To be more specific, 1,724 days of hard work, dating back to the night he was selected by the Phillies in the draft.
What’s stuck out to me, between both Andrew Painter and Justin Crawford, isn’t necessarily their play on the field. Don’t get me wrong, Justin Crawford has been the most electric player in the lineup through six games, and Andrew Painter fanned eight in his debut; but it’s more than that.
It’s their poise and mentality. They don’t seem scared of the moment. Crawford roped a single in his first at-bat of his major league career on Opening Day. I asked Twitter what they’ve been impressed with the most, and a lot of the answers stuck out.
“The professionalism. They look completely unfazed as a pair of 22 year olds joining a team with World Series aspirations and an incredible restless fan base.”
“The immediate contribution they have both provided has been huge. They are injecting youth into this team which has been aging. Both improvements to the team.”
“Their joy in being there.”
“They don’t seem afraid of the moment.”
Justin Crawford stepped up to the plate in the 9th inning of Wednesday’s matinee with the chance to win the game. It was his first “big moment” as a Phillie, even before the walk-off hit. A lot of the Crawford talk the last few years has been concern of his ground ball rate. Sometimes, you need to figure out if a guy is a winner before you look at anything else. “I haven’t seen many players in my time as calm, cool, and collected as Crawford,” one source said. Crawford will do anything to get on base. He’s a chaotic player on the field, but not in his head. He’s as smooth as they come when it comes to the mental side of the game.
Crawford’s base-hit to right field was his hardest hit so far this season at 106.9 mph. He let out a yell when the ball got through, turned to his teammates on the bench, and ran to touch first base. Before he could even get 90 feet down the line, the entire Phillies team was out of the dugout. He shoulder-bumped JT Realmuto high in the air in-between first and second, got two bottles of water thrown in his face from Kyle Schwarber, and got big high fives from Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Bryson Stott, and the rest of the Phillies team.
“Definitely that walk-off, for sure,” Crawford said when asked what he’ll remember most from these first six games. “That was something special. Obviously, my debut was very, very special as well, but just happy that we were able to win.”
It’s only six games. There are highs, and there are lows. The same statement applies to one game compared to 162. But for a team that has taken a lot of heat from this fanbase over the last few years, especially this past offseason, Wednesday was a needed win.
It doesn’t always have to be the big names that crowd the stadium on the back of fans’ jerseys. On Tuesday and Wednesday, it was the young guns, Painter and Crawford, that the city of Philadelphia have begged for.
Luke Arcaini writes about the Phillies for Crossing Broad, covers the Phillies for FOX Sports The Gambler, and co-hosts "Phillies Digest" on YouTube. The wave is the worst thing in all of sports. Contact: lukearcaini8@gmail.com