Underrated: Cristopher Sanchez
Philadelphia Phillies stalwarts Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola have been supplemented atop the rotation in recent years by Ranger Suarez, creating a formidable trio that is among the best in MLB. However, Suarez will be a free agent next offseason, while Wheeler and Nola will respectively turn 35 and 32 in 2025. The Phillies have desperately needed a cost-controlled young arm to step up and join the fray.
Last year, southpaw Cristopher Sanchez showed he can be that guy.
Though he enjoyed a half-season breakout in 2023, Sanchez extended his success to a full starter’s workload in 2024. In 181.2 innings pitched (IP), he posted a career-best 3.32 earned run average (ERA) and racked up 4.7 FanGraphs Wins Above Replacement (fWAR). Although that fWAR was good for fourth-best in the NL, the performance only garnered a 10th-place finish in NL Cy Young voting.
The gap between his excellence and its recognition is partially due to fWAR’s reliance on Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) over traditional run prevention statistics. Sanchez had a sparkling 3.00 FIP in 2024 which, along with an unlucky .313 BABIP, suggests he pitched even better than his results imply.
Sanchez’s success revolves around keeping batted balls out of the air. Among all qualified starters last season, his ground-ball rate (GB%) was third-highest and his average launch angle (LA) was second-lowest. This led to a magnificent home run rate that, if replicated, would place him among the best long ball prevention artists in baseball.
Among Phillies starting pitchers, Cristopher Sanchez may still be considered fourth-best or even fifth-best, depending on how one views offseason addition Jesus Luzardo. However, look for Sanchez to keep climbing the ladder as Philadelphia aims to remain competitive past the current core’s contention window.