The Philadelphia Phillies have made an unprecedented move with ace pitcher Cristopher Sanchez.
The Phillies signed Sanchez to a new six-year contract worth $107 million, according to multiple reports. This is despite the fact that the Phillies had already signed him through 2030 for a paltry $22.5 million in 2024.
The deal essentially adds two guaranteed seasons to Sanchez’s previous deal at roughly $30 million per year, but it was something the Phillies were under no obligation to do.
“John (Middleton, Phillies owner) and Dave (Dombrowski, team president) stepped up and decided to reward Cristopher with a deal more than commensurate with his abilities even though the club still had five years of control at minimal dollars,” Sanchez’s agent Gene Mato told Matt Gelb of The Athletic in a text message. “It’s really unprecedented.”
The Phillies have previously shown a willingness to go above and beyond for Sanchez. In a sport where teams are usually eager to keep payrolls low and ensure players remain under team control for minimal cost, the Phillies certainly stand out for their openness to rewarding top players for good performances. Other players are likely to notice something like that.
Sanchez, 29, went 13-5 with a 2.50 ERA for the Phillies last year and finished second in NL Cy Young voting.
