It wasn’t just an elite changeup that led Cristopher Sánchez to a second-place finish in 2025 National League Cy Young Award voting. Sánchez’s sinker -- the left-hander’s only fastball -- was also one of the best pitches in the Major…
Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sánchez experienced major difficulties with his sinker during the 2026 season despite maintaining elite results with his changeup. Opponents batted .331 with a .483 slugging percentage against the pitch in 2026, marking a sharp decline from his 2025 campaign where opponents hit just .269 against the offering.
The decline was heavily driven by struggles against right-handed batters, who hit .394 and slugged .602 against Sánchez's sinker in 2026 while hitting 11 of the 12 home runs allowed on the pitch. Sánchez also suffered from a lower whiff rate and diminished putaway ability with two strikes.
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