Philly Leader

Cristopher Sánchez showcased his fastball prowess on Tuesday in Port Charlotte, marking a strong start to the spring training season. Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs remarked, “It was legit,” after witnessing Sánchez’s impressive 96-98 mph pitches. Stubbs expressed admiration for Sánchez's progress, stating, "My expectations for that guy feel limitless because of how far he’s come in the last year and a half."

Sánchez, who had an 11-9 record with a 3.32 ERA last season, entered camp this month with improved strength and an enhanced slider. In his Grapefruit League debut against the Rays, he delivered two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out three.

Stubbs noted Sánchez’s precise pitching during the game: “Yesterday, it felt like when I was calling sinker in, here comes a sinker in.” He added that Sánchez successfully executed all requested pitches.

The Phillies anticipate having one of baseball’s top rotations if players remain healthy. While Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, and Ranger Suárez receive much attention, new addition Jesús Luzardo adds intrigue. Meanwhile, Andrew Painter is seen as the organization’s most promising homegrown pitching prospect since Cole Hamels.

Despite flying under the radar outside Philadelphia, Sánchez may garner more recognition this year. “Obviously, the changeup is one of the best," said Stubbs. He praised Sánchez's potential as a Cy Young Award contender due to his elite fastball and improving slider.

Sánchez reflected on last season's workload of 180 innings: “I just wanted to make sure that my body was in good shape for this year.” He emphasized maintaining strike-throwing ability alongside velocity improvements.

His slider usage at 16.9 percent yielded opponents only a .219 batting average last year. This season sees adjustments aiming for more horizontal break to complement his sinker and changeup effectively.

Manager Rob Thomson appreciated Tuesday's performance from Sánchez: “If we could bottle that up, we’d be in good shape.”