2025 Fantasy Baseball: Cristopher Sanchez Profile, Preview, Predictions

Cristopher Sanchez comes into this season with some weakness in his strikeout rate and too many hits allowed in 2024. Hidden behind his stats is an improving fastball and an electric changup.

Cristopher Sanchez looked dominant against the Rays today.

2.0 IP | 1 H | 0 ER | 0 BB | 3 K | 7 swing & misses pic.twitter.com/o2T73hcrz1
— Phillies Tailgate (@PhilsTailgate) February 25, 2025

OF - Cristopher Sanchez, PHI (ADP – 175.9)

2025 Cristopher Sanchez Pitching Stats Profile | Shawn Childs

Sanchez started 2023 at AAA with losing stats (4.35 ERA, 1.450 WHIP, and 44 strikeouts over 49.2 innings) while walking 5.3 batters per nine. Somehow, after a promotion to the majors, he threw the most strikes of his career. Over eight starts in June and July, Sanchez posted a 2.30 ERA, 0.837 WHIP, .194 BAA, six walks, and 38 strikeouts over 43.0 innings. He struggled on August 5th (six runs, seven baserunners, one home run, and seven strikeouts over five innings), followed by a competitive final 47 innings (3.45 ERA, 1.149 WHIP, and 48 strikeouts over 47.0 innings).

In his first full season in the majors, Sanchez outperformed his WHIP (1.244) in ERA (3.32) while having a weaker strikeout rate (7.6 – 20.3%). On the positive side, he continues to show command (first-pitch strikeout rate – 66 and walk rate – 2.2).

Sanchez went 6-3 over his first 16 starts, leading to a 2.41 ERA, 1.189 WHIP, and 79 strikeouts over 93.1 innings. He had three disaster showings (20 runs, 31 baserunners, and two home runs over 14.1 innings with 14 strikeouts) over his next seven games (6.63 ERA and 1.658 WHIP). His arm rebounded over his final 50.1 innings (2.50 ERA, 1.033 WHIP, and 49 strikeouts).

His average fastball (94.6) gained more than two mph. Sanchez had an electric changeup (.179 BAA) while throwing a winning slider (.219 BAA). Batters banged around his four-seamer (.338 BAA – .287 vs. lefties). He is a high-volume groundball pitcher (57.4) with a much-improved HR/FB rate (9.3 – 22.2% in 2023).

Fantasy Outlook: Sanchez is an interesting backend starter in 2025. His added velocity gives him a sneaky ceiling if he can continue to throw strikes at a high level and locate his four-seamer better in and out of the strike zone. His hard-hit rate against (34.2) was favorable, and he kept the ball down, helping him avoid disastrous innings via the home run. I’d take a 3.50 ERA with an uptick in strikeouts. Last season, he ranked 45th in FPGscore (-0.46) for starting pitchers. I’ll be watching his fastball velocity this spring.

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