Cristopher Sanchez gets the ball in Game 2 for the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Division Seriesa surprise to many outside the organization.
For the Phillies, this is the culmination of the improvements Sánchez has made over the course of the season as he became one of the most reliable starting pitchers in the rotation.
“It’s really amazing the steps he’s taken,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said of the decision to start Sánchez. “The growth he’s had. This guy started the year at 92 and 93 in command of the baseball, now he’s 95, 96 and almost 97 – and he keeps his command. The change is a plus, plus pitch. The slider he lands with and [helping him] diving deep into games.
“He’s kept his composure. There’s a couple of innings where he could have fallen apart, which he’s done in the past. He just kept fighting through it. He kept his composure, his poise. He’s just improved by leaps and bounds .”
The home road splits certainly played a role in the decision to start Sanchez at Citizens Bank Park, instead of Game 3 at Citi Field. He finished the season 7–3 with a 2.21 ERA at home in 17 starts, striking out 99 and walking 17. Along the way, Sanchez is just 4-6 with a 5.02 ERA, striking out 54 and walking 27.
With Sanchez throwing Game 2, Aaron Nola will be the Game 3 starter at Citi Field. An easy decision for the Phillies given his postseason resume.
“Knowing Aaron Nola, you probably won’t see any other excitement out of him as a pitcher,” Thomson said. ‘He’s calm, ready. He doesn’t show much emotion.”
Sanchez was the most improved player on the Phillies from 2023 to 2024. Last season, Sanchez went 3-5 with a 3.44 ERA in 18 starts, striking out 96 and walking 16. He allowed 16 home runs in 99.1 innings.
This year, Sanchez started 31 games and finished with a 3.32 ERA in 181.2 innings. He struck out 153 and walked 44, while his two complete games and one complete game shutout were tied for the major league lead – with only two other pitchers.
“He’s done a really good job this year of being able to use both sides of the plate,” Phillies catcher JT Realmuto said. “Last year it was more of an effort to get him in the strike zone, give him command of the strike zone and be able to work for the guys.
“This year it’s become a little more specific to be able to use different locations – up, down, in, out – and pitch to those specific spots. He’s using his slider more. It’s getting better as he uses it early in the count good and he manages to chase [hitters] with two strikes specifically against right-handers — which I didn’t think we did much last year.
“Obviously his change since Day 1 has been his bread and butter.”
Opening Game 2 is the culmination of everything Sanchez has worked for in 2024. He has earned the ball for what could be the biggest game of the Phillies season.
