Phillies' Cristopher Sanchez is a long shot to win the NL Cy Young Award

Phillies’ Cristopher Sanchez is a long shot to win the NL Cy Young Award originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez was once the favorite to win the National League Cy Young Award, but is slowly watching his chance slip away to Jacob MisiorowskiPhillies' Cristopher Sanchez is a longof the Milwaukee Brewers. 

Sanchez had one of the best months of the season by a pitcher — Sanchez made history by recording 50 2/3 scoreless innings (fifth all-time), which included not allowing an earned run and striking out 45 in 39.0 innings in May. However, the former All-Star’s dominance hasn’t been enough to overtake Misiorowski. 

Cristopher Sanchez trails Jacob Misiorowski in the latest polling to win the Cy Young Award

According to Thomas Harrigan of MLB.com’s latest poll of MLB experts on who will win the Cy Young Award in both the American and National Leagues, Sanchez finished far behind the Brewers’ All-Star to win. The 29-year-old Sanchez finished with two first-place votes to Misiorowski’s 29 and 122 total vote points (Misiorowski had 153 total vote points). 

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“In almost any other season, Sánchez would be running away with the NL Cy Young,” wrote Harrigan. “He recorded one of the longest scoreless streaks ever (50 2/3 innings) and boasts a 1.80 ERA with 121 strikeouts and only 20 walks over 105 innings on the year. Yet he has slipped to second in our latest poll after leading the previous one, now trailing a surging Misiorowski. It’s a familiar spot for the left-hander, who finished as the NL runner-up behind Paul Skenes in 2025.”

Harrigan is right that “Sanchy” would be running away with the award any other season, but Misiorowski has held firm, being one of the best pitchers in baseball. Misiorowski leads Sanchez in ERA, strikeouts and home runs allowed (Misiorowski: four and Sanchez: seven). Still, Sanchez has more innings pitched (Misiorowski: 93.0 innings and Sanchez: 105.0 innings) and one more start (Misiorowski: 15 and Sanchez: 16). 

With over half of the season still left to play, Sanchez does have time to establish his case to overtake “The Miz.” But Sanchez could wind up like his rotation mate, Zack Wheeler, and lose the award to another Brewers pitcher. Wheeler lost the 2021 Cy Young Award to Brewers right-hander Corbin Burnes.

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