Cristopher Sanchez Owns One of the Nastiest Pitches in MLB

One of the best offerings in baseball is owned by Philadelphia Phillies ace Cristopher Sanchez.

Jun 30, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sánchez (61) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Philadelphia Phillies ace Cristopher Sanchez has been one of the most dominant starting pitchers in baseball during the 2026 MLB regular season.

His home and road splits are a bit eyebrow-raising, as he is unhittable when on the mound at Citizens Bank Park but looks incredibly human when toeing the rubber on the road. Despite the disparity, he has been one of the most productive hurlers in baseball for some time now.

What has helped Sanchez take his performance to another level? He has one of the nastiest pitches in baseball in his arsenal: his devastating changeup.

As shared by Brent Maguire of MLB.com, Sanchez’s changeup has produced +12 Run Value through his first 20 starts of the season. The runner-ups for having the best changeup in baseball this year are Shane McClanahan of the Tampa Bay Rays and Walbert Urena of the Los Angeles Angels.

Cristopher Sanchez has most dominant changeup in MLB

Jul 14, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez (61) on the mound during the first inning during the All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Six pitchers have individual pitches with higher Run Values through the first half of the season than Sanchez has with his changeup, with Jacob Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers having the only offering that has surpassed the 20-plateau. His four-seam fastball has a Run Value of +21.

His off-speed pitch is the best of his repertoire, which also includes a hard sinker that sits in the mid-90s and a slider. The changeup can play off of each of those pitches and has proven incredibly difficult for opposing batters to pick up on.

Thus far this season, Sanchez has racked up 85 strikeouts using his changeup. That is the second most a single pitch has generated this season; the only offering with more is Misiorowski with 113 punchouts with his four-seam fastball.

Since the start of the 2025 season, there isn’t a single pitch in baseball that has generated more strikeouts than his changeup. He is up to 215 and counting, which is by far the most of a single pitch type. The next closest is Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves, who has 181 strikeouts with his slider.

For years, Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal was thought to have the best changeup in the sport. While spending some time on the injured list undoubtedly has suppressed his Run Value and production this season, Sanchez is certainly giving him a run for his money for the title of best changeup in the game.

It has helped the talented lefty produce some incredible numbers this season, which helped him earn the start for the National League All-Star Team in his home stadium at Citizens Bank Park.

In 20 starts, Sanchez has thrown 127.1 innings and produced a 2.62 ERA, a 172 ERA+ and a 2.70 FIP with 144 strikeouts and only 25 walks. The increase in punchouts has certainly elevated him to ace status, as he also leads the MLB with 5.2 bWAR.

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