Cristopher Sánchez dominates in Phillies’ walk-off win vs. Mets

PHILADELPHIA — Last fall, the Phillies waited until after Game 3 of the NLCS to announce that Cristopher Sánchez would start Game 4 in Arizona.

There will be no waiting and wondering about Sánchez’s postseason status this year. He is going to pitch in October. He is going to start. The only question is when? And how many times? Sánchez dazzled again in Sunday afternoon’s 2-1 walk-off victory over the Mets at Citizens Bank Park. J.T. Realmuto’s two-out single to right-center field against Edwin Díaz scored Nick Castellanos from second base, winning the game and cutting the Phillies’ magic number to win the NL East to six with 13 games to play. It then dropped to five on Sunday night after the Braves lost to the Dodgers.

“Every opportunity that I’m given, I’m just going to be ready to take it and do the best I can,” Sánchez said via the team’s interpreter. “It doesn’t matter if it’s going to be starting or relieving. However they think that I’m the best fit for the game, I’ll just be ready and I’ll give my all. We’ve just got to stay focused on our goal this year, which is winning the World Series.”

Sánchez allowed six hits and one run in seven-plus innings, walking one and striking out seven. His only mistake came in the eighth, when he threw a 2-2 slider to Tyrone Taylor, who hit a solo home run to left-center field to give the Mets a 1-0 lead.

“Everything, honestly,” Realmuto said, when asked what impressed him most about Sánchez. “He did such a good job. He attacked the strike zone, his stuff was good, he located, he was able to mix speeds well. He was really able to get the fastball in on the righties, which I think is key for him. He located that well early in the game, and that just helps make his changeup and slider that much better.”

Really, it was more of the same for Sánchez. He is 10-9 with a 3.24 ERA in 29 starts this season. He entered Sunday tied with Kansas City’s Cole Ragans with 4.6 fWAR, which ranked fourth-best among pitchers.

Sánchez threw a shutout against the Marlins on June 28 to cap an incredible month in which he went 3-0 with a 1.64 ERA to earn both NL Pitcher of the Month honors and a four-year, $22.5 million contract extension. He made his first NL All-Star team in July. He tossed a complete game against the Nationals on Aug. 17.

Sánchez has shown no signs of tiring, either. In fact, he has shown the opposite. Sánchez’s sinker averaged 94.3 mph in 25 starts through Aug. 22. It averaged 95.6 mph in his previous three starts. It averaged 94.8 mph on Sunday.

“He’s getting better and better, it feels like,” Realmuto said. “His stuff is also ticking up as his start goes. It feels like he gets better later in the game, which is unique. He’s been great.”

The numbers show he is throwing the ball as well as anybody as the postseason approaches. He has a 1.99 ERA in his past six starts. Wheeler has a 1.76 ERA in his past eight starts, Aaron Nola has a 10.00 ERA in his past two and Ranger Suárez has a 4.19 ERA in his past four.

Sánchez can make a case for not only starting in a potential best-of-five NL Division Series, but getting the call in Game 2 if it is at home. Sánchez has a 2.05 ERA in 16 starts this season at Citizens Bank Park, compared to a 5.13 ERA in 13 starts on the road.

His home ERA is tied for the fourth-lowest among Phillies starters (minimum 14 starts) since 1920.

“I have to work on that and get better at that, because I’ve noticed,” Sánchez said. “I’ve checked the numbers and they’re not so good on the road. I think that’s something I have to work on to get better.”

But it is something the Phillies must consider when they set up their postseason rotation.

“We haven’t really gotten there yet,” manager Rob Thomson said. “Once we get in — hopefully, get in — we’ll figure that out.”

But Sánchez has come a long way. A year ago at this time, he was untested. Now, he is somebody who seemingly every Phillies fan would feel comfortable having on the mound in a big game.

“Experience plays a big part in this,” Sánchez said. “I’ve been here two years already in the postseason, so I’ve seen a lot of things. I think that’s prepared me for the next shot that I get.”