Cristopher Sanchez Shines in WBC Quarterfinals, Eyes Opening Day Start

Phillies lefty dominates Korea, will return to team for final spring tuneup before season opener.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 2:37pm

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Cristopher Sanchez delivered a dominant performance for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals, tossing five scoreless innings with eight strikeouts to lead his team to a 10-0 mercy-rule victory over Korea. The Phillies pitcher made key adjustments from his shaky first WBC outing, focusing more on his elite sinker than his signature changeup. With the WBC run now over, Sanchez will return to the Phillies for one more spring training start before being named the team's Opening Day starter against the Rangers on March 26.

Why it matters

Sanchez emerged as one of the best young pitchers in baseball in 2025, finishing second in the NL Cy Young voting. His dominant WBC performance shows he's primed for another big season and the Phillies are counting on him to anchor their rotation as they look to build on last year's playoff appearance.

The details

Sanchez threw 63 pitches against Korea, 40 of them sinkers, and held them to just two hits while striking out eight. He overpowered the Korean hitters with a combination of velocity and movement. Dominican manager Albert Pujols said they wanted to limit Sanchez to around 65 pitches in this outing, as he had thrown 45 in his previous WBC start. The plan is for Sanchez to ramp up to 80 pitches in the next round, but with the Dominican team now eliminated, his next start will come with the Phillies as they prepare him to be the Opening Day starter.

  • Sanchez pitched five scoreless innings with eight strikeouts on March 13, 2026.
  • The Dominican Republic defeated Korea 10-0 to advance to the WBC semifinals on March 13, 2026.
  • Sanchez is expected to make one more spring training start with the Phillies before being named the Opening Day starter on March 26, 2026.

The players

Cristopher Sanchez

A 26-year-old left-handed pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies who emerged as one of the best young starters in baseball in 2025, finishing second in the NL Cy Young voting.

Albert Pujols

The manager of the Dominican Republic national baseball team and a former MLB superstar who played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Angels.

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What they’re saying

“Cristopher is one of the best pitchers last year. The way he prepares, the way he works. He made the necessary adjustments for this game.”

— Albert Pujols, Manager, Dominican Republic national team (SI.com)

“Cristopher did a great job. He pitched five innings, he threw 62 or 63 pitches, so below the 65 he was supposed to pitch. He did a great job. We're very happy about that.”

— Albert Pujols, Manager, Dominican Republic national team (SI.com)

“My mindset was to attack with a sinker ball. I used breaking balls and sinkers. That was my game plan.”

— Cristopher Sanchez (SI.com)

What’s next

Sanchez will stay with the Dominican team but is done pitching in this year's World Baseball Classic. His next start will come with the Phillies, one more tune-up before the expected Opening Day nod at home against the Rangers on March 26.

The takeaway

Sanchez's dominant WBC performance shows he's primed for another big season with the Phillies, as they look to him to anchor their rotation and build on last year's playoff appearance. His journey from a wild, hard-throwing prospect to one of the most effective starters in the game serves as an inspiration for young players to chase their dreams through hard work and dedication.