CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Cristopher Sánchez couldn’t have imagined an honor like this a few years ago.
Major League Baseball announced on Friday that Sánchez will be the Phillies’ Opening Day starter next Thursday against Texas at Citizens Bank Park. It was the worst-kept secret in Phillies camp. Sánchez had earned the spot long ago, finishing second for the NL Cy Young Award last year and leading the Phillies’ rotation down the stretch with Zack Wheeler recovering from a blood clot and thoracic outlet decompression surgery in September.
“What do I think?” Sánchez said via the team’s interpreter. “It’s a privilege. It’s an honor. Obviously, it’s something to look forward to, and it’s one of the goals I’ve wanted to accomplish in my career. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, just to be an Opening Day starter.”
Sánchez went 13-5 with a 2.50 ERA in 32 starts last season. He will be the third pitcher in Phillies history born outside the United States to start on Opening Day. The others were Venezuelan Omar Daal in 2001 and Canadian Oscar Judd in 1946.
It’s hard to believe that just a few years ago Sánchez entered Spring Training just hoping to get on the Phillies’ radar.
Aaron Nola will start the second game of the season on March 28 and Jesús Luzardo will start the series finale against Texas on March 29. Taijuan Walker will start the March 30 series opener against the Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. Andrew Painter will pitch the second game on March 31. He has been told he has made the Opening Day roster.
But Sánchez will get the whole thing started.
“I don't know where the ceiling is,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “It could be anywhere. This guy, the slider is getting better and he's using it more and he can backdoor right-handed hitters. It's a swing-and-miss pitch to left-handers. He’s got the unbelievable changeup, and his command of his fastball, he gets a lot of weak contact. He's just a complete pitcher right now.”
Sánchez looked good in his final tune up before Opening Day. He allowed two hits and one run and struck out four in five innings in Friday’s 4-4 Grapefruit League tie with the Tigers at BayCare Ballpark.
He was in good spirits afterward, joking with reporters.
He declined to divulge when the team told him that he would start on Opening Day. (He was told on Friday morning.) Asked if he thought he would have trouble sleeping on Wednesday night, he said no.
“I don’t think so,” he said, smiling. “Do you?”
Sánchez then talked about the future. He had a fantastic 2025. He starred for the Dominican Republic this spring in the World Baseball Classic.
He is one of baseball’s best pitchers.
How will he keep himself motivated following so much success the past couple years?
“Above everything else, the city where we’re at,” Sánchez said. “The city that we have, the fans that we have -- I think that’s more than enough motivation every day to give my best. Above everything else, I think it’s the city. To fight for the city. To give the fans what they want and what they deserve. That’s highly motivating for me.”
“He’s so confident right now,” Thomson said.
Sánchez’s family will be in Philly on Opening Day, including his wife and son, Cristopher.
They were in Clearwater on Friday. He waved to them in the stands.
“I think he’ll get it a little,” Sánchez said about his son understanding the moment. “He’s 18 months old, but he looks 3, so I hope he knows what’s going on.”