Cristopher Sánchez has spent the first half of 2026 making a strong case that the Phillies got more than they bargained for when they tore up his extension this spring.
The left-hander has been rolling at a level that puts him in rare company. From late April into early June, Sánchez put together the third-longest scoreless-innings streak since 1920, moving past Phillies icon Grover Cleveland Alexander and setting the MLB record for a southpaw with 50 2/3 innings.
After a short stretch that fell below his usual standard, he bounced right back Tuesday with seven shutout innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He has now blanked the Phillies’ cross-state rivals in both of his starts this season.
The bigger picture is even more striking. Through his first 18 starts of 2026, Sánchez has put together one of the best opening runs in Phillies history, right there with Hall of Famer Steve Carlton. That kind of start should make him the centerpiece of Philadelphia’s All-Star group at the Midsummer Classic.
And now there’s a bigger prize in play: the chance to start the game.
Dave Roberts will manage the National League after guiding the Dodgers to a second straight World Series title, and the All-Star pitching picture got messy when he said Shohei Ohtani would have to start on the mound if he were selected as a pitcher because of his unusual warmup needs. That set off plenty of frustration, especially among Phillies fans, who didn’t love the idea of Ohtani taking the honor.
But the Dodgers may have taken the decision out of Roberts’ hands. Before Tuesday’s game, Los Angeles announced that Ohtani’s next start would be pushed back to Friday, two days later than expected.
Since Ohtani typically works on about six days’ rest, that change points to a next outing next weekend when the Dodgers host the Diamondbacks. In effect, that would rule him out of pitching in the All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park.
As Bob Nightengale reported, “Shohei Ohtani, with his start now being pushed back from today until Friday, no longer is a viable candidate to pitch in the All-Star Game.
He's scheduled to make his last first-half start start next weekend, which would require him to pitch on short rest in the All-Star Game.”
If Ohtani is out, Roberts will have to choose between some serious options. Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski has a strong case, but Sánchez belongs in the same conversation, and maybe at the front of it. After Tuesday’s game, Sánchez said, “Another goal, another dream come true ... the fans deserve that and even more.”
Starting the All-Star Game is special on its own. Doing it in your home ballpark is even rarer.
Clayton Kershaw was the last pitcher to do it, in 2022, and only five pitchers have started an All-Star Game in their own park since 2000. For Sánchez, who was once hanging around the roster bubble, the chance to lead the National League onto the field would be a remarkable turn.
In Other News...
Phillies Send Down A Starter Right After He Earned Another Look
The Phillies are making another adjustment to their pitching mix as the All-Star break approaches, optioning Andrew Painter and right-hander Alan Rangel to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Rangel had just earned a longer look in the rotation, and his recent turn gave the club a chance to see how he might fit if they needed another starter down the stretch.
Philadelphia only has to cover the back end of the rotation one more time before the break, and a bullpen game remains in play for next week. Even with the move back to Lehigh Valley, Rangel still looks like a pitcher the Phillies could lean on again later this summer if the need arises. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Are Trying Another Bullpen Fix Fans Have Seen Before
After splitting a four-game series with the Pirates, the Phillies turned their attention to a three-game set with the Royals and made another bullpen adjustment along the way. Alan Rangel was sent back to the minors, and Tanner Banks was recalled to give the relief group another left-handed option as the club keeps searching for more stability in the middle innings.
Banks has been through this kind of reset before, and the Phillies are clearly hoping a return to the majors helps him settle in. His season has been marked by a 5.86 ERA and control issues, which have made his outings harder to trust, but the organization is giving him another chance to clean things up while the bullpen continues to sort itself out. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Could Steal Philadelphias All-Star Spotlight From The Phillies
Philadelphia is set to host the 2026 NL All-Star Game, and that alone should make the week feel like a showcase for the home club. But one early projection from Bleacher Report suggests the spotlight could tilt in an unexpected direction, with Atlanta forecast to arrive in town as the leagues biggest All-Star contingent. For a Phillies team that expects to be part of the center of the summer baseball conversation, it is the kind of wrinkle that would make the event feel a little less like a homecoming and a little more like a challenge.
Zachary D. Rymers prediction has the Braves sending seven players to the game, a total that would lead the National League if it holds up. The list also comes with some built-in debate about how the roster would be chosen, since not every projected Atlanta name looks like a lock on merit. Philadelphia, meanwhile, is forecast to have a strong showing of its own, but the broader picture is clear enough already: if this projection proves accurate, the All-Star spotlight in Philly could end up shining just as brightly on the visitors as on the team that calls the city home. [Read more 🡒]