Aug 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez (61) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Cristopher Sanchez's fastball averaged 92.1 mph in 2023, according to Statcast data.
That number jumped to 94.5 mph in Sanchez's breakout 2024 season.
And on Tuesday, in his first game action of the spring, the lefty's fastball reportedly sat between 97 and 99 mph ($) against the Rays. Sanchez threw two innings, allowing one hit, walking none, and striking out three.
No this video is not sped up. Cristopher Sánchez was throwing absolute ⛽️ pic.twitter.com/VWzRhJG8v0
The Rays' spring training ballpark in Port Charlotte, FL isn't equipped to measure Statcast data, but at least one observer called the park's scoreboard gun "mostly accurate." The uptick in velo may be due to muscle Sanchez added during the offseason.
Rob Thomson mentioned this the other day, but Cristopher Sánchez has definitely bulked up since last season. And one of the reasons for his success last year is he had added muscle since the prior year. @OnPattison pic.twitter.com/rUU8UxNwFj
Additionally, Sanchez sounds like he trusts himself to let it rip more than he did earlier in his career. "I think that I’m mature enough now to throw hard and also locate in different points in the strike zone as well," he said after Tuesday's outing.
Sanchez already established himself as a top-shelf starting pitcher last season. If his arm has another jump in it, the league could be in serious trouble.
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