The MLB offseason is moving at a historically slow pace this winter, with less than two months before spring training action begins. Baseball fans luckily don't have to wait as long this year for meaningful competition, with the 2026 World Baseball Classic beginning in early March. The 2023 installment was a tremendous success, so this one has turned into quite the anticipated event, with the sport's brightest stars joining the fold.
So many great starting pitchers have already confirmed their entry into the tournament, like last year's NL and AL Cy Young winners, Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal. This could be a tournament for the ages, and it could get even better with the possible addition of Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sánchez.
Many baseball fans outside just Philadelphia would be pumped to see Sánchez get the nod for team Dominican Republic. He finished runner-up to Skenes for the NL Cy Young in 2025, so seeing Sánchez on display would be an absolute treat. Even with the excitement of him possibly joining, there's also a legitimate reason for keeping him off the roster as well.
Phillies fans will feel better if Cristopher Sánchez opts out of 2026 WBC
Sánchez came into his own in 2025 with a 13-5 record, 2.50 ERA, and 212 strikeouts. He was one of the best pitchers in the National League and really captured national attention with how he carried the Phillies' staff after the injury to Zack Wheeler.
Sánchez has catapulted himself into an obvious candidate for the WBC, and he's also expressed interest in joining but has yet to confirm or deny at this point. There was an initial report that Sánchez had declined to play, but that was later found untrue.
If Sánchez did decide to sit out, however, there would be solid reasoning behind it. He pitched a career-high 214 innings between the regular season and postseason.
It's also only his second season as a full-time starter, so Sánchez and the Phillies may want to reserve the innings for a vital 2026. The Phillies will rely on Sánchez to fetch another 200+ innings this upcoming season, including innings for another hopeful playoff run.
Phillies closer Jhoan Duran opted out earlier this offseason and is a possible example to follow. Although it might not have been due to workload in 2025 specifically, Duran's willingness to rest instead is commendable, at least for Phillies fans.
It would be fun to see Sánchez join other Phillies' players like Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, but pitchers can be tricky that time of year. Wheeler was an option for the 2023 WBC but opted out due to it not being a normal part of his preparation for the upcoming spring.
At the end of it, it's a risk/reward scenario. Phillies fans would be thrilled to see Sánchez compete but also wouldn't be mad in the slightest to see him sit it out.