Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez actually has an alarming issue this season.
Let me just start by saying that Cristopher Sanchez has arguably been the Philadelphia Phillies' MVP this season, and he deserved every cent of the six-year, $104 million extension he received just before the campaign began.
In fact, Sanchez probably should have held out for more cash.
The 29-year-old owns a 2.51 ERA on the season, he is averaging a career-high 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings, and while win-loss record doesn't really mean all that much, the fact that he has gone 16-4 is remarkably impressive.
But Sanchez does have one rather alarming problem this season: the fact that he actually allows a lot of baserunners.
The left-hander has surrendered more hits (168) than any other pitcher in baseball this year, and his 1.224 WHIP is pretty high.
Yes, Sanchez lays claim to a .342 BABIP, so it seems like he is getting awfully unlucky. But at the same time, opposing batters own a 42.0 percent hard-hit rate off of him, which is a career-worst for the southpaw. His xERA is also 3.35.
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sánchez. Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images.So, what exactly is going on with the Phillies ace?
Well, Sanchez has done a tremendous job pitching out of trouble, owning an 81.5 LOB%. That is truly elite and is a testament to how well he buckles down in high-leverage spots. But you do have to wonder if his tendency to put runners on bases and allow hard contact could come back to bite him in the playoffs.
This isn't the first time Sanchez has pitched pretty heavily to contact. Back in 2024, he allowed 182 hits over 181.2 frames and logged a 1.244 WHIP. And guess what? His lone playoff start that year didn't go all that well.
Should Philadelphia be concerned this time around that Sanchez — who oddly does not throw a four-seam fastball — could potentially get battered in October?
Sanchez is good enough to handle some traffic, and his career-high strikeout rate reflects that. But it would certainly be nice if he pitched some cleaner innings.
Is this issue enough to break the emergency glass? No, but it's definitely something worth monitoring as we get closer and closer to the postseason.
