Phillies’ Bailey Falter isn’t forgetting where he came from in bid to win fifth-starter job

CLEARWATER, Fla. — When Phillies left-hander Bailey Falter was in minor league spring training, he used to see big leaguers come over to the seven mounds by the backfields of the team’s spring training complex to mingle with younger players. They’d make a point of introducing themselves and he decided, even back then, that if he ever made the big leagues he’d do the same.

Falter, 25, has made good on that decision. Since his MLB debut in 2021, he has spent the mornings before his spring training starts on those same mounds, acquainting himself with Phillies farmhands. Tuesday morning was no different. Leaning against a railing, Falter shook hands and slapped backs and exchanged fist-pumps with players. And it wasn’t just for their benefit.

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Falter likes to remember where he came from, and he knows he could be back there at any moment. His roster spot is not guaranteed. Last season, if anything, showed him that. From April to August, he was shuffled between triple-A Lehigh Valley and the big leagues seven times. He earned a spot on the roster for the wild-card series, the divisional round and the NLCS, but made just one appearance, in Game 4 of the NLCS, which he described as “horrendous.” Falter started and didn’t make it out of the first inning, having allowed four earned runs and gotten only two outs. He has been thinking about it ever since, even though the Phillies came back to beat San Diego, 10-6.

Despite that, he feels he proved something last year. When Zack Wheeler was placed on the injured list with forearm tendinitis in late August, Falter was called upon in his place. He posted a 2.54 ERA over those five starts. Because his locker is next to Wheeler’s at the Phillies’ spring training complex, he likes to joke about it.

“I’ll be like, ‘Hey, thanks man. Thanks for getting me back up here,’” Falter said.

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His locker is sandwiched between those of Wheeler and Andrew Painter, who was Falter’s biggest competition for the Phillies’ fifth-starter spot until Painter reported that he felt some tenderness in his pitching elbow. Like with the pitchers on the seven mounds by the backfields, Falter has tried to be a resource for the 19-year-old phenom.

“I talked to him about it a little bit,” Falter said of Painter. “He’s a young guy. I never threw as hard as him, but when I was 19 to 21, growing into my body, I was always hurt. And he throws way harder than I ever did. I was throwing like 87 mph at that time. This guy is throwing 100. It’s obviously going to take him a little time to grow into his body.

“I told him, ‘You’re young, you’re 19, you throw 100. You have all the tools to be a successful pitcher. But if you’re not healthy, there’s not much you can do.’”

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The Phillies have given no update on Painter’s status, but if he does miss some time, Falter would emerge as the clear front-runner for the fifth-starter spot. He said he’s not focusing on that as much. What he wants, more than anything, is stability. So it doesn’t matter where he pitches — it could be the first inning, the ninth inning, or any in between.

That versatility is valuable for a team that seems to always be in need of pitching depth. For now, Falter is just trying to prove he belongs, as he always does. After a shaky outing on Thursday against the Boston Red Sox, he made a good case for himself against Tampa Bay on Tuesday, allowing one earned run on three hits with three strikeouts in 2⅓ innings. He located his fastball well, mixed in his curveball, and showed improvements on his changeup, which he’s been reincorporating.

Manager Rob Thomson said Falter looked “really good,” which is good enough for him.

“As long as I’m one of those 26 guys, I’ll do whatever they want me to do,” he said.