Phillies starter will be getting paid (more) thanks to the Cy Young vote

The results of the 2024 NL Cy Young Award were announced on Wednesday, with Atlanta Braves southpaw Chris Sale winning the honor for the first time in his 14-year MLB career. Philadelphia Phillies starter Zack Wheeler had strong support from BBWAA writers but once again placed second in his quest to be recognized as the top pitcher in the National League.

Wheeler provided the only serious competition for Sale this time around, gaining four first-place votes, 25 second-place votes and a single fourth-place vote. Recent NL Rookie of the Year award winner Paul Skenes placed third.

It's certainly a disappointing result for Wheeler, who put together a strong showing in 2024 with a record of 16-7 along with 224 strikeouts and a 2.57 ERA with a WAR of 6.1 in 32 starts this past season. The ace of the Phillies previously placed second in the Cy Young vote in 2021, and has become a perennial favorite to win the award since arriving in Philadelphia via free agency prior to the 2019 season.

Sale's 18-3 record and 2.38 ERA proved to be too much for Wheeler's chances following a remarkable season that also resulted in Sale winning the NL Comeback Player of the Year Award last week.

Cristopher Sánchez will be getting paid thanks to his 10th-place finish in the Cy Young vote

While there's sure to be disappointment following Wheeler's second-place finish, it's worth noting that the Phillies starting rotation was well represented in this year's final Cy Young Award vote, with Cristopher Sánchez (10th place) and Aaron Nola (13th place) each earning votes from BBWAA writers. For Sánchez, his 10th-place showing comes with some future financial implications that could add more dollars to his current contract.

Sánchez had a breakout season in 2024 after posting career bests in most statistical categories, such as wins (11) and ERA (3.32), along with strikeouts and innings pitched. Sánchez was also the only starting pitcher in MLB to pitch two complete games this season, a remarkable development for a pitcher who had previously lasted an average of five or six innings during 2023. Confidence was no longer an issue for Sánchez after establishing himself as a viable starting pitcher this year.

The Phillies were quick to reward Sánchez for his early season success by locking up the All-Star left-hander in June with a contract extension that runs from 2025 until the 2028 season worth $22.5 million, including team options for 2029 ($14 million) and 2030 ($15 million). And now, thanks to a clause in his contract that includes added incentives for placing within the top 10 in Cy Young Award voting, Sánchez will earn $16 million in 2029 and $19 million in 2030 if the Phillies exercise his two team options starting four seasons from now, as noted by Phillies Tailgate on X.

Despite the 10th place showing in the Cy Young Awards this season, Cristopher Sánchez's situation proves that sometimes a player can lose and still win.

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