The National League is as stacked as it's ever been. The amount of competition and talent in the NL sets the stage for twists and turns with months before any teams get sifted out. It will be a level playing field coming into Opening Day, but the race will be on to see who will represent the NL best.
Pitching is always at a premium from a value standpoint, but stars across the league are ready to shine and take that next step in their individual progression. The Philadelphia Phillies have a first-class pitching staff, and left-hander Cristopher Sánchez could be their dark horse to dominate baseball. Sánchez will look to be exceptional in 2025 and judging by a new pitch he has chosen, it could propel him to the best left-hander in the sport.
Cristopher Sánchez's new cutter could make Phillies' lefty best pitcher in baseball
Sánchez took a huge leap in 2024 and was able to cap his success off with his first All-Star appearance. He pitched to an 11-9 record with a 3.32 ERA and 153 strikeouts in 181 2/3 innings. According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, Sánchez is garnering a lot of attention coming into 2025.
Sánchez could be even better after incorporating a cutter into his repertoire. He has kept a three-pitch mix that he's thrived off of, so the addition of the cutter could be just what he needs. His standard go-to consists of his sinker, changeup and slider, per Statcast. If Sánchez can master another pitch with his up-tick in velocity, his arsenal could rival those of some of the best left-handers, including the Detroit Tigers' Tarik Skubal and Kansas City Royals Cole Ragans.
"He's got a new cutter, too, and with his fastball now in Tarik Skubal/Cole Ragans territory, the cutter to neutralize right-handed hitters and one of baseball's most dastardly changeups, he's primed to join them among the best left-handed pitchers in baseball," Passan writes.
Sánchez has made five Grapefruit League starts this spring, posting a 1.62 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings. He has mixed in his new cutter 14 times in his last four starts for a seven percent pitch usage.
The way Sánchez has mastered avoiding contact will help lay the groundwork for a possible Cy Young of his own one day. He finished as a 10th-place finish last year. His 0.5 home runs per nine innings allowed last season was good for third-best among qualified pitchers in baseball in 2024.
Skubal and Ragans are tough competition to be compared to, with Skubal's recent pitching Triple Crown in 2024 and Ragans' fourth-place Cy Young finish. Sánchez, on the other hand, is still only 28 and is still coming into his prime as an athlete. He has filled out physically, and with other weapons in his arsenal, an increase in strikeout percentage would be a great equalizer for him.