Following a relatively small $22.5 million contract extension in the summer of 2024, star left-handed pitcher Christopher Sanchez quickly demonstrated he was significantly undercompensated.
And it didn’t take long for the Philadelphia management to react.
The Phillies and Sanchez have come to terms on a new contract extension. This six-year deal guarantees him $107 million, rewarding the ace for a stellar performance anticipated in 2025, as confirmed by Jon Heyman of the Post early Sunday.
Sanchez, who is 29 years old, was originally signed through 2028, with options for 2029 and 2030. However, under the new agreement, he is now secured through 2032, with a potential club option for 2033.
His agent, Gene Mato, praised Phillies owner John Middleton and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski for their decision to adjust Sanchez’s contract, highlighting that it was unexpected given the team’s existing control over him.
“John and Dave made a significant move to give Christopher a contract reflecting his true abilities, even when they had five years of low-cost control,” Mato stated. “This really is a remarkable situation.”
This updated contract comes on the heels of an impressive 2025 season, where Sanchez finished as the runner-up to Paul Skeens in the National League Cy Young Award voting.
As a sinkerball pitcher with an effective changeup, he recorded 212 strikeouts alongside a 2.50 ERA across 32 starts, covering 202 innings. Notably, he showed remarkable skill in two games against the eventual champion Dodgers during the NLCS in October.
In a historic moment for the World Baseball Classic, he made headlines representing the Dominican Republic, becoming the first pitcher in the tournament’s history to strike out four batters in a single inning.
His bWAR of 8.0 for the last season outperformed that of Skeens (7.7), Tarik Skubal (6.5), and Garrett Crochet (6.3), essentially making him one of the best in the league.
Now, he is set to make his first career season opener start this Thursday at home against the Texas Rangers.
