rewrite this title Phillies’ Cristopher Sanchez was a ball of clay that needed molding

Even though Milwaukee Brewers Jacob Misiorowski had an elite month of May where he allowed one earned run, Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez was slightly better. 

Tossing 39.0 innings (five starts), Sanchez was a perfect 4-0, struck out 45, walked three, held opponents to a .181 batting average against and didn’t allow an earned run. Sanchez’s strong performance helped him edge out “The Miz” for the National League Pitcher of the Month award, which proved to be a debate among fans and the media. 

Sanchez currently holds the longest active scoreless streak in Major League Baseball (44 2/3 innings) and will look to extend it against the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night. The 29-year-old faced the Padres his last time out (May 27) to surpass Phillies legend, Hall of Famer Grover Cleveland Alexander (41.0 innings), for the franchise record for scoreless innings. 

The former All-Star (2024) is closing in on Los Angeles Dodgers great Orel Hershiser’s record of 59 innings set in 1988. If Sanchez tosses one shutout inning, he’ll move past Zack Greinke: 45 2/3 innings pitched (2015), Carl Hubbell (Hall of Famer): 45 1/3 innings pitched (1933) and Sal Maglie: 45 innings pitched (1950) to occupy fourth place. 

Former Phillies GM Matt Klentak thought Cristopher Sanchez was “a ball of clay” that needed to be molded

“Cristopher Sanchez was the guy that jumped out to us, and I’ve said this before, but sitting in my chair at the time, what stood out to me was that both our scouts and our analysts were into this guy,” Klentak said on “The Phillies Show.” “They both saw things, something in some cases different things, but they were both really into the player, and when you’re sitting in the GM chair, and you have really everybody around you telling you that this should be a target, you should listen. And I’m glad that we did.” 

Klentak added: “He had a long way to go, but I think when you know front offices are looking at making picture additions like him or like anybody, I think you’re often looking for ingredients. You’re looking for upside. You’re looking for ways that a player can improve, and I think that’s what both our scouts and our analysts all saw was a ball of clay. I mean, there’s a lot to like about this guy. It is unrefined, it’s not perfect, that’s why he’s pitching an eight ball right now, but there’s a lot to work with there, and I give them all credit, you know.” 

Klentak, who is an executive with the Brewers, traded for Sanchez in 2019 from the Tampa Bay Rays for Curtis Mead. Sanchez is putting himself in line to win his first Cy Young award, but he will have stiff competition, with “The Miz” and Shohei Ohtani breathing down his neck.