Cristopher Sanchez continued his dominant stretch for the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night, delivering seven more scoreless innings in a 3-0 win over the San Diego Padres while making franchise history in the process, as Nick Castellanos recently spoke out on the Phillies’ shift to Don Mattingly during a tough week for the club.
“It was incredible,” Sanchez said after the game, according to MLB.com. “It’s really special what we have here as a group, as an organization as a whole — the players, the staff, the medical staff. So it’s just really special to share things like this with this tremendous group that we have here.”
The left-hander extended his scoreless streak to 44 2/3 consecutive innings, surpassing Hall of Famer Grover Alexander for the longest scoreless streak by a Phillies pitcher since 1893.
The historic outing did not come without tense moments. Sanchez escaped multiple deep fly balls at Petco Park, including long drives from Gavin Sheets and Manny Machado that narrowly stayed inside the park. The streak officially became a franchise record when he retired Jackson Merrill to end the fourth inning.
Cristopher Sánchez #61 of the Phillies celebrates after pitching the seventh inning against the Padres. Ramirez/Getty Images
Sanchez continues dominant run for Phillies
Sánchez’s scoreless streak dates back to the second inning of his April 30 start against the San Francisco Giants, and he has become one of baseball’s hottest pitchers during that span. The 2026 campaign has featured a dramatic turnaround for both Sanchez and the Phillies, who were struggling early in the season before finding momentum in recent weeks.
His streak now ranks among the longest single-season scoreless stretches in the Live Ball Era. Sanchez entered elite territory alongside legendary names such as Orel Hershiser, Don Drysdale, and Bob Gibson, while also producing one of the most dominant months by a starting pitcher in MLB history.
During May, Sanchez delivered one of the most dominant stretches of his career, throwing 39 innings with 45 strikeouts, just three walks, and no earned runs allowed. The Phillies starter combined elite command with swing‑and‑miss stuff, giving the club a steady, ace‑level presence in the rotation throughout the month.
Phillies rotation gaining momentum behind Sanchez
The Phillies continue to benefit from strong pitching performances across the roster, but Sanchez has become the centerpiece of the team’s recent surge. His latest outing helped Philadelphia secure another key victory while continuing to build confidence heading into the summer months.
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Although Sanchez still trails Orel Hershiser’s all-time MLB record of 59 consecutive scoreless innings, the left-hander has already cemented his place in Phillies history. His next scheduled outing could move him even higher on the all-time leaderboard if the streak continues.
