Christopher Sanchez’s secret weapon shines in spring training debut
Phillies ace Christopher Sanchez finally made his own spring training made his debut on Saturday when the club faced the Toronto Blue Jays. In the contest, Sanchez looked in regular form as he showed off his secret weapon throughout the outing.
Through two innings, the 29-year-old starting pitcher threw four hits and 12 strikeouts, seven of which have come since his change alone. What’s even more impressive is that Sanchez’s changeup generated a 100.0% strikeout rate. He even had Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero on the back foot during the offense.
“Christopher Sanchez in spring debut: 2 IP, 4 Ks, 12 Whiffs. 7 Whiffs on changeup. 100% Whiff rate on changeup.”
Christopher Sanchez in his spring debut:
2 IP
4 K
12 Whiffs7 Breaths when changing
100% Whiff rate on changepic.tvitter.com/fKlIKLTjk5— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) February 28, 2026
Sanchez is entering his sixth MLB season and is coming off the season in 2025. He has been incredibly effective for most of his career so far, but last season he looked like one of the best pitchers in the league. The Phillies star finished the 2025 campaign with a career-high 2.50 ERA and 1.064 WHIP while recording a career-high 212 strikeouts over 202.0 innings (career-high).
After failing in the playoffs last season, The Phillies hope to stay on top The National Leagues have reached the postseason for the fifth year in a row. Christopher Sanchez will be supported throughout the campaign, as he will once again be the club’s ace. Jesus Luzardo, Aaron Nola and Zach Wheeler are expected to remain in the rotation, while Andrew Painter and Tyjuan Walker compete for the fifth spot.
The Phillies will begin the regular season with an Opening Day game against the Texas Rangers on March 26. It’s not yet known who the Phillies will start in that contest, but it looks like Christopher Sanchez has a great chance to win that role.
2026-02-28 20:57:00
