Perhaps watching Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola and Ranger Suárez has rubbed off on Cristopher Sánchez. The Philadelphia Phillies starter seems just as calm as his rotation mates and seems to have the same low heart rate as the other three, more experienced starters on the staff.
Sánchez met with the media on Saturday afternoon ahead of his Game 2 start against the New York Mets on Sunday at Citizens Bank Park. He didn’t seem bothered at all to have been tabbed as the team’s starter for a game that the Phillies need to win to split the two games at home and head to New York with a 1-1 tie in the best-of-five series.
On Saturday, the Phillies wasted a classic Wheeler gem in a shocking 6-2 Game 1 loss. The pressure will be on Sánchez to deliver in his start. It doesn’t seem like the extra pressure will faze him.
Phillies’ Cristopher Sánchez unfazed by pressure of starting Game 2 of NLDS
Sitting at the podium with interpreter Diego D’Aniello, Sánchez seemed extremely relaxed for someone who was just over 24 hours away from taking the mound in front of 45,000 screaming Phillies fans. When asked what it meant to him for his manager Rob Thomson to appoint him the Game 2 starter — a start handed to him instead of proven postseason veteran Aaron Nola —the lanky left-hander said he is ready to accept that trust and is planning on enjoying his experience.
“It's just something nice, it feels really nice to do that,” Sánchez said through D’Aniello. “It shows that he trusts me a lot, so I sort of have a chip on my shoulder, but no pressure in that. I feel good with that, I like that he trusts me. You know, just give the best of myself and do what I have to do, enjoy the game and just go out and throw the ball.”
Sánchez started Game 4 for the Phillies in the NLCS last season against the Arizona Diamondbacks and went 2 1/3 innings in the outing. That’s all of his postseason experience. The Phillies are hoping that his breakout season in 2024 continues and that his strong performance at Citizens Bank Park continues. He posted a 2.21 ERA in 17 starts in front of the home crowd this year. That’s why Thomson slotted him ahead of Nola, who has two postseasons of experience and has come through big-time for the Phillies.
With the Phillies in danger of going down 0-2 in the series with a Sunday loss, Sánchez will need to put his best effort forward and hope the bats can offer him some support.