The pitching factory of the Tampa Bay Rays can’t get it right every time. Six years ago, they traded left-handed pitcher Cristopher Sanchez to the Philadelphia Phillies for Curtis Mead. In Sanchez’s tenure with the Phillies, he has developed into one of the best left-handed pitchers in MLB today.
Sanchez was on the mound Wednesday night for Philadelphia in the second game of the series against the Rays. For the second time in as many nights, the powerful rotation of the Phillies held Tampa at, well, bay, but this one may have hurt a little more.
Wednesday marked Sanchez’s third career start against the Rays, and he has made every one count. The starter has pitched 18 innings against his former organization, allowing only one run on nine hits and four walks with 11 strikeouts.
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Wednesday night’s start may have been his best one yet. The lefty pitched six innings, allowing only one hit despite walking three and striking out five. Philadelphia’s offense also turned on the heat, scoring seven runs, and Tampa Bay dropped its second consecutive contest, this one by a score of 7-0.
While it was not the first time that Sanchez had faced the Rays, it was the first time he faced the player the organization traded him for. Mead went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts overall, and 0-for-2 against Sanchez with one strikeout.
It is a harrowing tale of what might have been for Tampa. The Phillies are nowhere near as capable at developing pitchers, and yet Sanchez has pitched to a 2.89 ERA this year across 37.1 innings in seven starts with 44 strikeouts and a 144 ERA+.
The world may never know how good Sanchez would have been for the Rays, and he has developed into a legitimate ace for Philadelphia who haunts Tampa Bay every time the teams face off.