Phillies Ace Improves Early Cy Young Odds Dominating Athletics

The Philadelphia Phillies are playing their best baseball of the season, winning seven out of eight games since manager Rob Thomson was fired and replaced by Don Mattingly on an interim basis.

It was fortunate timing for Mattingly to take over when he did. The Phillies’ schedule was softening after playing 13 straight games against the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves, and they have taken full advantage.

Of course, with how poorly Philadelphia played, they couldn’t underestimate any opponent. They needed to play better than they had been, and players have risen to the occasion to get the team back on track.

One of the catalysts that did what they could to help keep the team afloat early on and help maintain this recent positive momentum has been starting pitcher Cristopher Sanchez. The ace of the staff put forth another dominant outing against the Athletics, building up his early-season case to be a National League Cy Young contender.

Cristopher Sanchez was dealing against Athletics

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez (61) throws a pitch against the Athletics. — May 5, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez (61) throws a pitch against the Athletics during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The American League West squad was steamrolled by Sanchez in his best start of the campaign. He threw eight shutout innings with only five opponents reaching base: three by hit, one by walk and one being hit by a pitch.

The Athletics had no answer for Sanchez, who threw 97 pitches, 69 of which went for strikes, while racking up 10 strikeouts. He has yet to reach the 100-pitch plateau this season, but had the game been closer, it is fair to wonder if Mattingly would have sent him back out for the ninth inning.

With a 9-0 lead, there was no reason to push him any further. He had done more than enough to help put the team in position for the victory.

This was the second time this season in eight starts that Sanchez has been charged with zero earned runs. In all but one of his starts, he has surrendered two or fewer earned runs.

Class is in session pic.twitter.com/EFeHolQO87
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) May 6, 2026

The only blemish on his ledger is a start against the Cubs on April 23 when he was hit hard to the tune of six earned runs in 5.1 innings. That is the only start he has given up more than three runs in thus far in 2026.

Even with that brutal outing, Sanchez’s stats this season are excellent. He has a 2.42 ERA across 48.1 innings. His 2.0 bWAR is the best in the National League, and he leads all of baseball with 60 strikeouts heading into play on May 6.

In the opinion of some evaluators, the only thing that was holding Sanchez back from being considered an ace a year or two ago was the lack of strikeouts. He has certainly figured things out in that department and has turned himself into one of the best starting pitchers in the MLB.

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