When the Phillies signed Cristopher Sanchez to a four-year, $23.55 million extension with two club option years on the end of it back in June of 2024, it was considered a very team-friendly deal.
Then he went out and became one of the best pitchers in baseball in 2025, and was runner-up to Paul Skenes for the N.L. Cy Young Award.
The Phillies could have just sat on their hands, knowing they had Sanchez under control for five more years at a very affordable price.
But they did right by their Opening Day starter, and tore up the old the contract and gave him a new one on Sunday morning.
The new deal is a six year extension beyond 2026 with a club option for a seventh year that could keep Sanchez a Phillie through 2033.
According to a report from Matt Gelb of The Athletic, Sanchez will still be paid just $3.5 million in 2026, but then the new deal is for six years and $107 million which is an AAV of $17.8 million, or less than Taijuan Walker is currently making.
The new contract guarantees Cristopher Sánchez $107 million through 2032, including his $3.5 million salary in 2026, according to a league source.
According to Gelb, Sanchez's agent texted him and called the decision by the Phillies to tear up the old contract and agree to this new one was "really unprecedented."
Sanchez, 29, finished 2025 with a record of 13-5 and a 2.50 ERA across 202 innings. His 8.0 WAR led all pitchers in baseball.
Cristopher Sanchez inks his a 7 year extension with the Phillies, solidifying his future prior to the CBA negotiations
Sanchez showed flashes of his ceiling in 23 and 24, but showed us a full season of dominance in 25:
202.0 IP (32 GS)
2.50 ERA
3.02 FIP
212 K
9.45 K/9
.226 BAA https://t.co/LG5XP6GCLL pic.twitter.com/qUFT0iraLu
This wasn't the only news out of camp Sunday morning.
The Phillies officially announced that they signed Dylan Moore to a contract to make the Opening Day roster, which was first reported on Saturday.
But beyond that was a surprise addition tot he bullpen. Tim Mayza, who like more opted out of his contract on Saturday, was signed to a contract on Sunday and will start the season with the Phillies.
Mayza, 34, was selected off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates last August and pitched in eight games for the Phillies in September with a 4.91 ERA and a 1.636 WHIP in 7 1/3 innings. Mayza was also on the postseason roster against Los Angeles, but did not appear in a game.
Signed to a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training, Mayza seemed to be an odd man out with the Phillies likely carrying three lefty relievers already in Jose Alvarado, Tanner Banks and Kyle Backhus, who appeared poised to make the team after the Phillies acquired him over the winter from the Arizona Diamondbacks in a trade.
Backhus, 28, has had a strong spring having not allowed a run in six innings, yielding just four hits and a walk while striking out six.
However, Backhus does have multiple options remaining, meaning the Phillies could start him at Triple-A Lehigh Valley and call on him when needed. Mayza doesn't have those options, so he appears to have gotten the nod ahead of Backhus despite an underwhelming spring. In eight appearances, Mayza has a 5.40 ERA across 8 1/3 innings with a 1.320 WHIP. He does have 10 strikeouts but he has also allowed a pair of home runs.
But Backhus is still in camp after additional moves on Sunday morning, so maybe the Phillies will open with four lefties in their bullpen.
To make room for Mayza on the 40-man roster, they returned Rule 5 pitcher Zach McCambley to the Miami Marlins.
Additionally, the Phillies are getting Griff McGarry back from the Washington Nationals after he didn't make their Opening Day roster.
In other moves Sunday, the Phillies optioned righthanded reliever Chase Shugart to Lehigh Valley and reassigned infielders Christian Cairo and Liover Peguero, outfielder Bryan De La Cruz and righty relievers Jonathan Hernandez and Lou Trivino to minor league camp.
The Phillies still have one open slot on the 40-man roster that is being reserved for Justin Crawford to be their Opening Day centerfielder.
