To have a strong and effective roster in Major League Baseball, the key for any team is to try and recruit the best-performing players at the lowest possible cost. Handing out too much money to underachieving players could potentially hinder the team’s overall success. Not only does poor performance affect the team’s chances of winning, but the financial commitment in their contracts could prevent the organization from making any further improvements.
Led by the president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, the Philadelphia Phillies have actually been pretty good at handing out contracts in recent years that match close to the value of the players that they have obtained. However, there are always a select few who end up being overpaid or underpaid for all that they’re worth.
Let’s take a look at the most overpaid and underpaid Phillies players on the current roster heading into the 2025 MLB season.
Cristopher Sánchez is one of the most underpaid Phillies
Current contract: 4 years, $22.5 million ($2 million in 2025)
Cristopher Sánchez has slowly but steadily made his mark in the Phillies’ starting five over the past couple of seasons. After starting off his career with Philadelphia primarily as a reliever, Sánchez became a mainstay in their starting rotation partway through the 2023 season.
The 28-year-old left-hander has posted back-to-back sub-3.50 ERA campaigns. On top of that, Sánchez recorded career highs in wins (11), innings pitched (181 2/3) and strikeouts (153) in 2024, capped off with his first-ever complete game shutout on June 28 against the Miami Marlins.
With many of the Phillies' pitchers enduring some struggles down the stretch last year, Sánchez casually remained the team’s third-most reliable option behind Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola through it all. Sánchez ended up compiling a stellar 2.50 ERA and 1.03 WHIP, along with 49 strikeouts in 50 1/3 innings pitched in his final eight starts last season, solidifying his position among the top three starters on the team. Philadelphia certainly recognized his potential all along as they quickly locked him up with a four-year, $22.5 million contract extension during the midst of his impressive 2024 campaign.
For a budding star who currently fits in as the trusted No. 3 starter in the Phillies’ rotation, his $2 million in salary that he will make this coming season is bordering on outright robbery. Even if we take into account the $5.625 million AAV that he will make in the coming four years of his contract, for someone who is entering his prime and playing some of his best baseball, the Phillies might have one of the biggest steals this century.