Phillies extend Cristopher Sánchez through 2032: NL East contenders lock up top pitcher on six-year contract

The extension runs from 2027-32

The Phillies and Cristopher Sánchez have agreed to a new contract that will keep him around through at least 2032, the team announced early Sunday morning. The new six-year extension, which kicks in for 2027 and includes a club option for 2033, guarantees Sánchez $107 million through 2032, including $3.5 million in 2026, according to The Athletic. Sánchez, who has already been named the team's Opening Day starter, still had three years remaining on an extension he signed in June 2024.

The 29-year-old veteran has been a revelation in recent years, compiling a 3.00 ERA in 81 starts between 2023 and 2025. Traded from the Rays to the Phillies for Curtis Mead in 2019, Sánchez came in second place in Cy Young voting last year behind Paul Skenes and got MVP votes as well. Across 32 starts in 2025, Sánchez put up a 2.50 ERA and 8.0 WAR. He is again one of the Cy Young favorites in the National League for 2026 (+900, per Caesars), behind just Skenes and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

"(Phillies owner John Middleton and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski) stepped up and decided to reward Cristopher with a deal more than commensurate with his abilities even though the club still had five years of control at minimal dollars," Sánchez's agent, Gene Mato, told The Athletic. "It's really unprecedented."

The news of the extension comes just weeks after the Phillies also locked up Jesús Luzardo on a five-year, $135 million contract as the NL East contenders try to keep their contention window open around an aging core. An impressive group of position players, including Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner and J.T. Realmuto, is headed deep into their mid-30s, even as young up-and-comers like Justin Crawford make their way onto the roster. They're certainly headed to a competitive 2026 season (+180 to win the NL East, per Caesars), but time catches up to all of us eventually.

Philadelphia went 96-66 and won its second straight NL East title last year. They were eliminated by the eventual World Series champion Dodgers in the NLDS.

Sánchez this year will lead a rotation that includes Luzardo, Aaron Nola, Taijuan Walker and rookie Andrew Painter, who will be making his MLB debut when he takes the ball for the fifth game of the season.