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Start Talking About Cristopher Sanchez Like One of the Best Pitchers in Baseball, Because He is
By Sean Barnard
Published:
Where would the Phillies be without Cristopher Sanchez?
This is a question that has not gotten enough mainstream conversation this season. The 28-year-old has pitched an NL-best 189.1 innings. He holds a 13-5 record, a 2.66 ERA, a 1.104 WHIP, and has struck out 198 while only allowing 166 hits. Sanchez ranks seventh in MLB in strikeouts, 19th in opponent batting average, 14th in WHIP, and sixth in ERA. Sanchez is posting a 7.7 WAR (Wins Above Replacement), which is tied with Shohei Ohtani for third. If it were not for Paul Skenes, or maybe if Sanchez were dating Livvy Dunne, he would be crowned the NL Cy Young winner this year.
It has been especially impressive to watch Sanchez gradually scale up his role and develop on the trajectory the Phillies foresaw for him. Sanchez signed with the Tampa Bay Rays as an international free agent in 2013. He was traded to the Phillies in 2019 in exchange for Curtis Mead, with little buzz and fanfare. The left-hander made his debut in 2021 and became a consistent part of the rotation in 2023. He had his full breakout last year, earning his first All-Star appearance and finishing with an 11-9 record and 3.32 ERA while tallying 153 strikeouts across his 181.2 innings pitched.
But it felt like it was this season when he took a further step forward in confidence level and truly climbing the ladder as one of the top pitchers in baseball. He was more artful in his painting of the corners, rarely fell behind in counts, and let some emotion out at key moments on the mound:
The biggest threat to the Phillies outlook this year arrived when Zack Wheeler was shut down for the season due to his blood clot issue. Wheeler had made a Cy Young case of his own, posting a 10-5 record, a 2.71 ERA, and striking out 195 hitters while allowing just 107 hits in 149.2 innings. For just about any franchise not named the Dodgers, an injury to a player of this magnitude would be a crippling hit to their playoff outlook. But the Phillies have not missed a beat with Sanchez filling these massive shoes as well as one possibly could.
With nine games remaining, the battle for seeding continues. Securing an opening-round bye by landing a top-two seed would be especially important, as teams with a bye can essentially trim down to a three-man divisional series pitching rotation due to the nature of the schedule. There are still conversations to be had about how to sort out the rotation with Ranger Suarez expected to be the #2, then Aaron Nola and Jesus Luzardo each having a case for why they should be the third starter. Rob Thomson has kept things close to the vest and rightfully stated they will wait to see their opponent before making a decision. Rolling out three consecutive left-handers could either be a positive or a concern depending on the opposing lineup they will face.
But one thing that is clear is the man that will be on the mound for Game 1 of their postseason matchup. Cristopher Sanchez has developed into the ace the Phillies needed and he’ll have to pitch like this in the postseason. This should be a reassuring feeling for the Phillies’ outlook.
Look around the rest of MLB and the list of pitchers better than Sanchez is a whole lot shorter than has been recognized. He is one of the best pitchers in baseball and it’ is’s time to start acknowledging this.
Sean Barnard has covered the Philadelphia 76ers and general Philly Sports for over six years in a variety of roles and for multiple outlets. Currently works as a Content Writer for DraftKings Network, Sixers/NBA Insider for Philadelphia's Fox Sports the Gambler, and co-host of Sixers & Phillies Digest on Youtube. Forever Trusting the Process.