The Phillies have rewarded starter Cristopher Sánchez with a rare in-season extension.
Sánchez and the club have agreed to a contract extension, the Phillies announced Saturday. The financial details have not been reported, but the deal begins in 2025 and runs through 2028. The deal also includes club options for 2029 and 2030.
Sánchez was already under team control through the 2028 season.
The 27-year-old is off to a fantastic start to the season. He has a 2.91 ERA in 14 starts, which ranks sixth among National League starters. He is building off of a breakout 2023 season, where he ceased a rotation spot long term. The development of his changeup and ability to get ground ball outs have made him one of the more underrated starting pitchers in the big leagues.
A pre-arbitration extension makes sense for Sánchez, who was two years away from his first year of arbitration eligibility.
Could another extension be in line for another Phillies starter? Ranger Suárez is scheduled to become a free agent after the 2025 season. A deal for him would come at a higher cost due to performance and how close he is to free agency. Dave Dombrowski told Phillies Nation last week that the Phillies would, “definitely like to have Ranger with us for a long time.”