The Philadelphia Phillies have won the NL East the last two seasons, and while they didn't get past the NLDS, the Phillies have shown that they're among the contenders every year.
This past season was an odd one, as they lost Zack Wheeler late in the season. But with Cristopher Sanchez in the rotation, the Phillies still had a chance.
For Miami Marlins manager Clayton McCullough, Sanchez is a pitcher deserving of high praise. In a piece from ESPN surveying MLB managers, McCullough identified Sanchez as the pitcher he'd trust the most with the season on the line.
Marlins manager trusts Cristopher Sanchez more than Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal
"Cristopher Sanchez was so tough," McCullough said. "You forget how hard he throws. But the ease with which he does it, the length. The fastball-changeup combination. We tried different plans against him, and there was just always a really-- can't get him off the ground. Tough guy to slug, and he doesn't walk people."
McCullough's praise of Sanchez is well deserved. During his breakout 2025 campaign - in which he was the biggest All-Star snub in the Majors - Sanchez had a 2.50 ERA with 8.0 bWAR, and a second-place finish in the NL Cy Young voting.
In 202 innings, Sanchez struck out 212 batters and allowed only 12 home runs. He's one of the best pitchers in baseball at limiting home runs, and in McCullough's opinion, he's the most trustworthy pitcher in MLB in a situation where the season is on the line.
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Other managers chose Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers, the 2024 and 2025 AL Cy Young Award winner, and Paul Skenes, the 2025 NL Cy Young Award winner.
But McCullough picked Sanchez as the pitcher he would trust the most. It's some lofty praise for Sanchez after just his fifth season, and second since his breakout as a starter.
Sanchez is the Phillies' best pitcher going forward, even once Wheeler returns. The dominant lefty is a tough pitcher to hit, and for McCullough (the manager of the NL-East rival Marlins), he's the most trustworthy pitcher in Major League Baseball.
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