Phillies enjoying ‘best version’ of Cristopher Sánchez: ‘It’s a once in a lifetime transformation’ – Phillies Nation
Cristopher Sánchez threw a complete game shutout on Saturday against the Pirates. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire)
PITTSBURGH — With success comes some audacity. Cristopher Sánchez, a consensus top pitcher in baseball, has let his confidence take over.
He smacked his glove and yelled as he struck out Marcell Ozuna to end the fourth inning, stranding the runner on second. The two had been eying each other all game. You would call it a friendly rivalry. Ozuna, the former Atlanta Brave, entered the game a career 5-for-13 hitter against Sánchez.
“I think Ozuna told him he was going to hit a home run before the game,” catcher J.T. Realmuto said. Ozuna ended up striking out four times.
Sánchez smiled at Ozuna as he walked back to the dugout after the third strikeout. The fourth one came in the ninth inning and set a new career high in strikeouts for the left-hander. With his pitch count near its maximum, Sánchez induced a groundout to shortstop from Nick Yorke to finish off his second-career complete-game shutout to lead his team to a 6-0 win.
When he was all done his TV interview, Sánchez stayed to sign autographs for Phillies fans down the first base line. Many made the trip over to the Steel City and cheered loudly as Sánchez emerged from the dugout in the ninth inning.
“Felt goosebumps every time that I thought about it,” Sánchez said through team interpreter Diego D’Aniello. “It felt like a home start.”
Sánchez’s transformation has been one of the more remarkable stories to tell. Everyone that watches the Phillies knows the basic details.
“When we first got him from Tampa, he would throw bullpens in spring training,” acting manager Dusty Wathan said postgame. “I saw him throw bullpens and there were a lot of balls off the chain link fence. For a guy to make the transformation that he’s made, it’s something special.”
“He knows how to handle his game today versus the player he was a couple years ago,” Edmundo Sosa said through a team interpreter. “He was obviously a very young player. We all were at some point.”
A taxi squad arm during the 2022 postseason run, Sánchez entered camp the following year as an afterthought. The Phillies were granted a fourth option year on Sánchez in 2023 and opted to keep him as a starting pitcher in Triple-A. They recalled Sánchez for a start against the A’s in Oakland in June. He has been in the majors since, developing into a reliable back-of-the-rotation pitcher turned bonafide ace.
“I think that’s the biggest difference in him now and five or six years ago, he’s got so much confidence,” Realmuto said.
The Phillies extended Sánchez once in 2024 and again two years later. He now has a 1.82 ERA through his first 10 starts. If he stays healthy, he should be in the mix for the Cy Young Award.
“I’m proud of myself but at the same time, I just try to keep my feet on the ground,” Sánchez said. “Keep going, keep getting better, keep working.”
Sánchez is a humble guy with a big smile and an unequivocal belief in his ability. The Phillies have loved getting to know this version of Sánchez, the one who can’t be beaten.
“He knows he’s good,” Bryce Harper said. “He’s confident in his ability and doesn’t shy away from anything. It’s very fun to watch.”
Sosa traveled all over Europe with Sánchez in the offseason. He had a big smile on his face when reflecting on his friend’s success.
“I think that this is the best version of Sánchy that I’ve seen,” Sosa said. “I know he’s going to keep working. He’s going to keep putting in the work and getting better. I know there’s a lot more to come performance-wise from him. He’s going to keep leaving marks on the game. He’s going to hopefully keep hitting the record books in the game.”
Pirates hitters came out swinging, but Sánchez had answers. He had thrown just 53 pitches through five innings and 79 pitches through seven. Paul Skenes, one of the few pitchers on Sánchez’s level who will start tomorrow’s game for the Pirates against Zack Wheeler, throws seven different pitches. Sánchez has not only survived, but thrived with only three offerings: a sinker, changeup and slider.
“All three of his pitches are really good pitches,” Realmuto said. “His changeup is obviously elite, so you can use that every at-bat. And then (sinker), he uses it both sides of the plate and I think that makes it really difficult because righties can’t just look one side of the plate with him because he throws it both sides. That makes it really difficult to cover and you throw in the fact that his stuff is so elite, you can’t ever go up there a sit on just one pitch. He mixes it so well.”
It’s fun to watch, but impossible to fully appreciate.
“To me, it’s a once in a lifetime transformation to go from where he was to being one of the best pitchers in baseball right now,” Wathan said. “It’s special.”
