For Phillies fans this year, Cristopher Sanchez has not just been a bright spot, but the guiding light of the entire season. Through 12 starts this year, Sanchez has taken a step forward even from the form that saw him finish second in Cy Young award voting last year to make himself a prohibitive favorite headed into the month of June.
He's leading the majors in ERA (1.47), FIP (1.80), and Innings (79 1/3) at this point in the season. Those numbers put Sanchez with the greats in MLB history.
Given how dominant the lefty has become, it's easy to forget that he wasn't always viewed as a future ace. He didn't even get an extended look in the rotation until his third year in the majors, and until then he had been battling it out for playing time with another up-and-coming lefty in the Phillies' system: Bailey Falter. With Falter having recently been designated for assignment by the Royals, now's as good of a time as any to reflect on his time in Philadelphia battling for a roster spot with Sanchez.
A fifth-round pick by the Phillies back in 2015, Falter climbed the minor league ladder with the organization and made his big league debut the same year Sanchez did in 2021. One hundred and thirty-three days Sanchez's junior, Falter actually beat him to the majors by just over a month that season. Once injuries and a move to the starting rotation for Ranger Suarez opened up playing time on the pitching staff, however, Falter was the one to get more consistent looks.
Falter made 22 appearances for the Phillies in 2021 between the rotation and bullpen, compared to just seven for Sanchez. Neither performed terribly well in terms of results, however, and even peripherals didn't create the sort of separation between Falter (3.79 FIP in 2021) and Sanchez (3.80) as we see in hindsight. That left the pair to continue fighting for playing time headed into 2022, but Falter actually earned a rotation nod that year while Sanchez was relegated to up-and-down work.
That might elicit fans' retroactive outrage today, but the surprising reality is that Falter was actually an unsung hero of the Phillies down the stretch that year, providing quality starts in a season that famously concluded with a World Series appearance. Things took a turn from there for Falter, however. He was given the nod for a playoff start but turned in a disastrous 54.00 ERA while recording just two outs, and he was shipped out of the organization less than a year later.
Bailey Falter DFA'd by Royals reminds Phillies of how things change quickly
While Falter's Phillies career may have ultimately petered out in uninspiring fashion, his 84 innings of 3.86 baseball during the 2022 regular season are proof that he was worth the look Dave Dombrowski and the front office afforded him. By contrast, Sanchez's first two years in the majors saw him pitch to a 5.47 ERA in 52 2/3 frames.
He clearly wasn't ready yet, and it was only when Sanchez developed more consistent mechanics (as noted by Matt Gelb of The Athletic in a 2023 article about his breakout) that he actually earned his spot on the big league roster. After being called up for what was initially expected to be a single spot start, Sanchez wound up sticking in the rotation thanks to his success. He carried a 2.66 ERA on the year into the month of August, and that was enough to convince the club to part with Falter.
Once the switch was made, it was instantly clear that the Phillies had made the right call. Falter has gone on to pitch to a 5.51 ERA with the Pirates and Royals since being dealt, while Sanchez has developed into a true ace. Sanchez may have been the one who ultimately reached his (much higher) ceiling, but Falter's time ahead of him on the depth chart is a reminder that the best player isn't always the quickest to develop as younger arms like Andrew Painter fight their way onto the roster this year.
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