The Phillies and left-hander Cristopher Sanchez are nearing the completion of a four-year contract extension, as reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Post (X link). Sanchez, already under team control through 2028, will provide the Phillies with cost certainty over the next four years and possibly extend their control with multiple club option years, potentially covering two of Sanchez’s free agent seasons. Represented by agent Gene Mato, the 27-year-old pitcher is set to further solidify the Phillies’ pitching staff.
This move continues Philadelphia’s trend of securing pitchers during Dave Dombrowski’s tenure as president of baseball operations. The extensions have ranged from shorter-term deals to avoid arbitration to more substantial agreements like Zack Wheeler’s three-year, $126 million extension signed last March. Sanchez’s extension is expected to fall somewhere in between these examples.
Given Sanchez’s age (he turns 28 in December) and his eligibility for arbitration not starting until the 2025-26 offseason, this extension is an assertive move by Dombrowski’s front office. While Sanchez was positioning himself for lucrative arbitration salaries, securing an affordable arm in the rotation could help balance the hefty luxury tax hits from players like Wheeler, Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, and Aaron Nola, all under contract through at least 2027. Additionally, Nick Castellanos and Taijuan Walker are signed through 2026, J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber through 2025, and other key players like Ranger Suarez, Alec Bohm, and Bryson Stott may also be considered for long-term deals.
The Phillies have exceeded the luxury tax threshold for the past two seasons and are poised to do so again in 2024, demonstrating their willingness to spend big in pursuit of a championship. Given this context, it’s not surprising that they are investing in a player they value and see as a potential bargain over the extension period, considering Sanchez’s emergence as a starter in 2023-24.
Sanchez, originally an international signing by the Rays out of the Dominican Republic in 2013, was traded to Philadelphia in November 2019 for Curtis Mead. This under-the-radar move has proven to be intriguing as Sanchez has developed into a capable MLB starter, while Mead has become a top-100 prospect in Tampa’s farm system and a major leaguer, albeit with only 50 games so far.
Sanchez showed potential as both a starter and a reliever in the Rays’ farm system, and the Phillies primarily used him as a starter in the minors. He made his MLB debut in 2021, working mostly as a reliever (with only four starts in 23 appearances totaling 52 2/3 innings in 2021-22). However, injuries opened the door for Sanchez to join the Philadelphia rotation last season, where he posted a 3.44 ERA over 99 1/3 innings, with a 24.2% strikeout rate, a 4% walk rate, and a 57% grounder rate.
