Phillies' Cristopher Sanchez's slider is better than ever thanks to one small change

The Phillies' ace has added four inches of drop on his slider without sacrificing velocity.

Apr. 4, 2026 at 3:12pm

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Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez, a Cy Young candidate, has made a small tweak to his slider grip that has resulted in a significant increase in the pitch's movement. Sanchez is now spiking his left index finger when throwing the slider, leading to five inches more drop than the average slider in MLB.

Why it matters

Sanchez's slider is now an even more dominant pitch, complementing his already-excellent changeup. If he can maintain this improvement throughout the season, it could help him take the next step and win the NL Cy Young award after finishing as the runner-up last year.

The details

Sanchez made a small adjustment to his slider grip by spiking his left index finger. This simple change has led to a dramatic increase in the pitch's movement, with four more inches of drop compared to last season and five inches more drop than the average MLB slider.

  • Sanchez made the grip change prior to the start of the 2026 MLB season.

The players

Cristopher Sanchez

A left-handed pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies who is considered a top Cy Young candidate in the National League.

David Adler

An MLB.com reporter who covered the changes Sanchez made to his slider grip.

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What they’re saying

“Sanchez is now spiking his left index finger when he throws his slider, and the pitch is looking a lot different as a result. The Phillies' ace has added four whole inches of drop on his slider without sacrificing velocity (the pitch is still coming in between 85-86 mph).”

— David Adler, MLB.com reporter

The takeaway

Cristopher Sanchez's small adjustment to his slider grip has turned the pitch into an even more dominant weapon in his arsenal. If he can maintain this improvement throughout the season, it could help him take home the NL Cy Young award after finishing as the runner-up last year.