Unprecedented? Phillies and Cristopher Sánchez agree to unusual new six-year, $107 million contract
They didn't have to secure the Cy Young Award runner-up and give him a raise — he was under their control for the next four years at $47 million — but they did.
The Phillies say Cristopher Sánchez should have won the NL Cy Young Award last season.
Now, they’re paying him like it.
In an unprecedented move for a major-league team with long-term control of an underpaid, hyper-talented player, the Phillies and Sánchez on Sunday agreed to a new, six-year contract that begins in 2027 and runs through 2032, with a team option for 2033. Sánchez, 29, will be 35 when the base deal expires. The guaranteed money totals $107 million, according to a source. It’s the latest long-term investment from big-picture owner John Middleton.
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It is a move seldom if ever seen in baseball. Teams usually manage payrolls by minimizing outlay to players under their control and delay more expensive, long-term deals as long as possible.
Sanchez’s apparent salaries are not exorbitant, but he is not coming as cheaply as he could have been.
He was playing under a four-year contract, $22.5 million that pays him just $3.5 million this season and $16 million over the next two seasons, with club options for 2029 and 2030. He made $2.5 million in salary in 2025, when he finished second in Cy Young voting on the strength of a 13-5 record with a 2.50 ERA and 212 strikeouts in 32 starts, all highs for his three full seasons. With Zack Wheeler recovering from injury, Sánchez will be the Phillies’ opening day starter.
He already was a bargain, and with an average annual value from 2027 through 2032 of just over $17.1 million through 2032, he should remain an excellent value for the Phillies for the length of this deal. He led the majors in Wins Above Replacement last season, at 8.0, but his AAV ranks 41st, according to Spotrac.
Notably, swingman Taijuan Walker, who will make $18 million this season, is in the final year of his deal. Also, Wheeler, who makes $42 million per season, is expected to retire after 2027, when his contract ends.
It’s also worth noting that the Phillies received significant criticism this offseason for not spending lavishly to upgrade a roster that has disappointed in the past three postseasons. They did, however, re-sign Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto and extended the contract of left-handed starter Jesús Luzardo. If nothing else, Sánchez is the latest example of the Phillies investing in themselves.
Before their game against the Yankees in Tampa, the Phillies released left-handed pitcher Tim Mayza at his request, then re-signed Mayza to a major-league contract. They had released utility man Dylan Moore on Saturday, but also re-signed him to a big-league deal Sunday. Also on Sunday morning, they returned Rule-5 right-hander Zach McCambley to the Marlins.
Scott Lauber contributed to this article.