July 13, 2024
Cristopher Sánchez will be heading to Arlington this coming week after all.
The breakout left-hander, who's been a major revelation within a dominant Phillies rotation, was named a National League replacement for the All-Star Game on Saturday, which will give the Phils eight seven representatives in total for Tuesday's midsummer classic.
That amount ties an MLB record, per MLB.com's Todd Zolecki, and in addition, the now five pitchers the Phillies will be sending sets an MLB record in its own right.
UPDATE [4:40 p.m.] – Well, that was before the Phillies said they're going to keep Ranger Suárez home to nurse some back tightness. Read about that HERE.
The Phillies have tied a MLB record with eight All-Star selections. They tied the 2023 Braves, 2012 Rangers, 2010 Yankees, 2008 Cubs, 2004 Yankees, 2001 Mariners and 1961 Yankees.
— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) July 13, 2024
Five pitchers is a MLB record. Previous record was four by multiple teams.
Sánchez will be replacing Atlanta's Chris Sale.
Zack Wheeler, who's been throwing Cy Young-caliber stuff, and Suárez, who got off to an unreal start to the season, were always near locks to get All-Star nods in the leadup to the NL and AL rosters' announcement.
But Sánchez, slotted as the fourth starter in the Phillies' rotation, rapidly built up a last-minute case as he went on his own lights-out stretch.
Through 18 starts this season, the 27-year old southpaw is 7-4 with a 2.96 ERA, a 1.229 WHIP, and a 7.6 strikeouts per nine-inning rate. Since the beginning of May, only two of his starts have gone less than five innings, all while he went on a 6-1 run where he punched out 58 batters with only a .245 average against him allowed.
The height of it: June 28 against Miami, when he went all nine innings in a 2-0 gem of a shutout, the first of his career.
"I'm so proud of this kid because he's come so far," manager Rob Thomson said after that game. "And now he's a dominant pitcher, really, in Major League Baseball. When you saw him a couple of years ago, you wouldn't – I didn't think he'd be able to do it. But he's worked hard, he's trusted his coaches in the minor leagues and his coaches here. He's phenomenal. He really is."
Now he's an All-Star, too.
LHP Cristopher Sánchez is headed to the #AllStarGame!
— MLB (@MLB) July 13, 2024
He has been named as a replacement on the National League team for Chris Sale. pic.twitter.com/Rm6c8Shu3b
MORE: Full list of Phillies 2024 All-Stars
Follow Nick on Twitter: @itssnick
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports
