The Philadelphia Phillies will enter the upcoming season with a five-man starting rotation that is drastically improved after acquiring left-handed starting pitcher Jesús Luzardo in a trade with the Miami Marlins in December. With Luzardo joining a rotation that also features Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sánchez and Ranger Suárez, the Phillies finally have a rotation from top to bottom that matches up with some of the most talented pitching staffs in MLB.
It's hard not to be optimistic following last season's breakout performance from left-hander Cristopher Sánchez. The 2024 season saw Sánchez put together an All-Star campaign, with a record of 11-9 and career highs in strikeouts (153), starts (30), ERA (3.32) and K/9 (7.58), to name a few. And heading into his fifth MLB season with an incentive-laden four-year $22.5 million that begins during the 2025 season, there's plenty of optimism that Sánchez can be even better.
Cristopher Sánchez must improve one key area to reach new heights in 2025
A recent article from The Athletic's Matt Gelb reported that Cristopher Sánchez has been hard at work adding new pitches to his arsenal this offseason (subscription required). The addition of a fourth pitch would go a long way toward helping Sánchez become more of a complete pitcher. And while it remains to be seen what pitch he's currently working on, he'll have to continue building on the increased confidence he showed on the mound last season.
Part of the increased confidence will have to translate to his starts on the road. While Sánchez was sensational at Citizens Bank Park last year, his road splits remain a bit of a concern. In 71 2/3 innings on the road last season, Sánchez's ERA jumped from 2.21 to 5.02 on the road, and higher totals in walks and extra-base hits all contributed to a .307 batting average from opposing hitters when pitching in other MLB ballparks.
If Sánchez can improve his starts on the road, it will give the Phillies a more complete starting rotation. With the injury history that's followed offseason acquisition Jesús Luzardo throughout his career and health concerns that sidetracked the second half of Ranger Suárez's season, Sánchez has the opportunity to solidify his place as the No .3 starter in one of the National League's strongest rotations.
While last year's road numbers could be little more than a fluke, it's a storyline worth following as the Phillies try to make it back to the postseason again in 2025.