The Philadelphia Phillies did right by pitcher Cristopher Sánchez on Sunday, signing their ace to a six-year, $107 million contract extension. Sánchez’s emergence has been one of the key aspects of the Phillies’ success in recent seasons, and now that should continue for years to come. With that in mind, it’s worth revisiting the stroke of genius that brought Sánchez here to begin with.
Way back in November of 2019, Cristopher Sánchez was a hard-throwing 22-year-old in the Tampa Bay Rays' system who possessed tantalizing stuff, but a penchant for walks. The lanky Dominican was at a crossroads, as Tampa Bay needed to add him to their crowded 40-man roster in order to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft.