Cristopher Sanchez joins elite company with impressive run

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Cristopher Sanchez joins elite company with impressive run

By Zachary Cariola | Last updated May 17, 2026 9:21 AM ET

Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez continues to prove his place as a Cy Young candidate.

On Saturday, Sanchez shut down the Pittsburgh Pirates, tossing a complete game shutout. Sanchez allowed just six with no walks and 13 strikeouts. It was the fourth complete game of his career and his second shutout.

Through three starts in May, Sanchez has given up just 15 hits and one walk and hasn't allowed an earned run while piling up 30 strikeouts in 24 innings. According to OptaSTATS, this line by the former All-Star (2024) has only been done once in Major League Baseball history when Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw did so in 2015.

Before Saturday's start against the Pirates, Sanchez had an ERA of 2.11, but it has since dropped to an impressive 1.82. This places the 29-year-old in fourth in Major League Baseball and first in the National League.

Sanchez is hanging right with his two closest competitors for the Cy Young Award, Pirates ace Paul Skenes, and Atlanta Braves left-hander Chris Sale. Sale (6-3, 1.96 ERA) and Skenes (6-2, 1.98 ERA) both have ERAs under 2.00. Skenes will pitch Sunday, May 17, in the series finale against the Phillies.

Cristopher Sánchez of the @Phillies is the second MLB pitcher in the modern era to have a 3-start span with:

24.0+ innings pitched
30+ strikeouts
no more than 1 walk
0 runs allowed

The other was Clayton Kershaw in 2015. pic.twitter.com/3jM72YrWp0
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) May 16, 2026

Cristopher Sanchez's dominance on Saturday impressed Pirates manager Don Kelly

Throwing 108 pitches (74 strikes), Sanchez had everything working for him Saturday afternoon. Sanchez didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning when Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds doubled to right-center field.

According to Pirates manager Don Kelly, Sanchez's sinker was "elite," and he paired it with his signature changeup to keep the Pirates off balance.

"He mixes it up. Sinker was elite today,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said about Sanchez to MLB.com's Bill Ladson. “The slider and changeup, he could throw for strikes. He could throw beneath the zone. Everything comes out and looks the same. He really kept us off-balance, and we couldn't get much going there."

Sticking to his "routine" and maintaining the game plan he had with catcher J.T. Realmuto and pitching coach Caleb Cotham also helped.

“I felt really good today. I felt normal with my routine,” Sanchez said to Ladson through interpreter Diego D'Aniello. “I always have my routine as well as the game plan that I did with [catcher] J.T. Realmuto and [pitching coach] Caleb [Cotham].”

With the All-Star game being played in Philadelphia this summer and Sanchez doing well, this impressive run is making him a candidate to start in his home ballpark.

Zachary Cariola

My name is Zachary Cariola and I have been a sports fan for as long as I can remember. My areas of expertise are MLB, NBA, and NFL. When I’m not writing, I love spending time with my family and learning history.

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