Philadelphia Phillies Have Another Front-End Starter Emerging In Rotation

The Philadelphia Phillies boast a deep starting rotation, but this left-hander is starting to show traits of a potential ace.

May 13, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Christopher Sanchez (61) delivers a pitch against the New York Mets during the first inning at Citi Field. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

With the offseason coming to a close for the Philadelphia Phillies, the team is getting focused on the new campaign. 

It has felt like a long winter for the Phillies after the early elimination against the New York Mets in the National League Division Series. However, this offseason was a solid one for the organization and, with the core intact, there is reason to believe that they will be able to once again be a contender in the league. 

Despite some early offseason talk about shaking things up, Philadelphia mostly improved on what they already had in place this winter.

One area that is looking extremely strong for the franchise heading into the new campaign is the starting rotation. With Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Christopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez, and Jesus Luzardo, the Phillies have arguably the best starting five in baseball. 

While Wheeler and Nola have always been considered to be the aces of the staff, one of their young southpaws might be looking to prove himself as a front-end starter this season. 

Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) recently spoke about starting pitcher Sanchez as a player who has stood out at spring training. Furthermore, he highlights the appealing upside for the left-hander. 

 “Sánchez is quietly developing into a solid No. 2 type starter," Bowden wrote.

It was a breakout campaign for the young left-hander in 2024. After getting his feet wet in 2023 with the organization, he really built on that experience last year. 

The 28-year-old was able to total a 11-9 record, 3.32 ERA, and pitched an impressive 181.2 innings. While Sanchez isn't known for his strikeouts, he does an excellent job keeping hitters off balance at the plate. 

Seeing the young left-hander develop is very good news for the Phillies, who are seeing the two members of the front-end of the rotation get a bit older. Even though Wheeler and Nola haven’t shown any signs of slowing down, having a young pitcher coming up behind them is encouraging for the sustained success of the franchise. 

If Sanchez is able to replicate his All-Star year from 2024 once again, there is no reason not to consider him an No. 2 pitcher going forward. 

Furthermore, as Philadelphia hopes to challenge the Los Angeles Dodgers among other elite teams in the league, having three front-end starters is a recipe for success. 

With the young left-hander off to a good start in spring training, the Phillies should be very excited about what the starting rotation will look like in 2025.