Trending Now - Phillies Secure Cristopher Sánchez With $107M, 6-year Contract
WHO:
Andrew Painter, MLB Pipeline's No. 28 overall prospect, has made the Phillies' Opening Day roster.
Justin Crawford, ranked as the No. 53 prospect, has also made the team.
Dylan Moore, utility player, triggered an opt-out clause in his contract and will make the team.
Cristopher Sánchez, Philadelphia Phillies, Todd Zolecki (Senior Reporter, MLB.com), Rob Thomson (Phillies Manager)
WHAT:
Sánchez finished second for the NL Cy Young Award in 2025, behind Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes.
The Phillies' Opening Day roster is nearing completion, with only two or three jobs remaining.
The Philadelphia Phillies signed Cristopher Sánchez to a new six-year contract worth $107 million through 2032.
The contract includes a club option for 2033 valued at $44.5 million.
Sánchez finished the 2025 season with a record of 13-5 and a 2.50 ERA in 32 starts.
He posted an MLB-best 8.0 WAR among pitchers in 2025.
Over the past three seasons, Sánchez has a combined WAR of 13.5, ranking third in baseball.
Sánchez will be the Opening Day starter for the Phillies on March 31st, 2026.
WHERE:
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Clearwater, Florida (location of the announcement)
WHEN:
The Phillies will open their season on March 31st, 2026, against the Nationals at Citizens Bank Park.
The contract extension was announced on Sunday morning, March 22nd, 2026.
Sánchez signed with the Rays as an amateur free agent in 2013.
He was traded to the Phillies for prospect Curtis Mead in November 2019.
Sánchez's performance in 2023 included a 3.44 ERA in 19 appearances (18 starts).
WHY:
The Phillies chose to reward Sánchez for his performance and development as a key member of the starting rotation.
HOW:
The Phillies had 48 hours to place Dylan Moore on the roster after he triggered his opt-out clause.
The Phillies restructured a previous four-year contract extension worth $22.5 million, maintaining salaries through 2030 and adding $30 million in 2031 and 2032.
(UPDATED March 23, 2026 01:32 UTC)
In a significant development for the Philadelphia Phillies, top prospects Andrew Painter and Justin Crawford have both secured spots on the team's Opening Day roster, along with utility player Dylan Moore, who activated an opt-out clause in his contract. The roster is nearly complete, with just a couple of positions left to fill as the team prepares to kick off the season against the Nationals on March 31. Last season, Sánchez finished second for the NL Cy Young Award, trailing only Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes, highlighting the team's competitive edge as they head into the new season.
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(UPDATED March 22, 2026 19:15 UTC)
The Philadelphia Phillies have signed Cristopher Sánchez to a new six-year contract worth $107 million, which will keep him with the team through 2032 and includes a club option for 2033 valued at $44.5 million. Sánchez, who finished the 2025 season with a record of 13 wins and 5 losses and an impressive 2.50 ERA, will be the Opening Day starter for the Phillies on March 31, 2026. This decision comes as a reward for his outstanding performance, including an MLB-best 8.0 WAR among pitchers last season and a combined WAR of 13.5 over the past three seasons, ranking him third in baseball.