The Philadelphia Phillies kicked off the 2026 MLB season on the right foot after defeating the Texas Rangers 5-3 on Opening Day. Kyle Schwarber kicked off the festivities with a two-run home run in the first inning, and Alec Bohm joined the party later with a three-run home run to put the Phillies up 5-0. The main star of the day, however, was the Phillies’ starting pitcher Cristopher Sánchez.
Sánchez picked up right where he left off following his second-place Cy Young award finish in 2025. He was in command from the start and showed why the Phillies handed him a $107 million contract.
Sánchez didn’t only pick up the win on Thursday, but he made history as well.
History-Making Performance
Cristopher Sánchez continues to prove why he is the ace of the Phillies staff. In six innings and just 87 pitches, Sánchez struck out 10, and that wasn’t the only reason the day was historic.
According to Opta Stats, Sánchez accomplished something that hasn’t been done in the modern day on Opening Day.
“Cristopher Sánchez of the Phillies is the only MLB pitcher in the modern era to have an Opening Day start where he: struck out 10+ batters, allowed 0 walks, allowed 0 runs, allowed 3 or fewer hits, earned the win.”
Sánchez was nearly unhittable, and his changeup was a significant reason why. Cole Weintraub of NBC Sports Philadelphia wrote in his March 26 article about Phillies manager Rob Thomson’s assessment of Sánchez’s performance.
“His changeup was falling off the table,” manager Rob Thomson said after the win. “It gets better as the game goes on. Usually, that’s why he is better the third time through because he gets a feel for it, [the pitch] has more bottom to it, as he gets fatigued.”
Sánchez’s dominance is being recognized not only by his team but also by opponents.
He’s An Ace
Cristopher Sánchez has an almost Cinderella-like ascent from a fringe MLB player to a $100 million Cy Young candidate. Last season, Sánchez began receiving national recognition, and this season he is cementing his status as one of the game’s aces.
Todd Zolecki of MLB.com talked to the Rangers’ Jake Burger after the game about Sánchez, and he had high praise for him.
“I think we saw why he was a runner up in Cy Young last year. His changeup has the same shape and tightness to the ball as his sinker. He gets guys off balance really easy with that. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get it done against him. …. Obviously he’s an ace. He’s a bonafide superstar in the game,” Burger said.
Rangers manager Skip Schumaker echoed Burger’s sentiments on Sánchez.
“I‘m not sure anybody was going to do much today against Sánchez. He was that good. It was just a challenging day overall. … He was as good as advertised,” Schumaker said.
Sánchez is looking to cement himself as one of the most dominant pitchers in the game, and after Opening Day, he is off to a hot start.
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