PHILADELPHIA, PA — Cristopher Sánchez’s journey from an unheralded unknown teenage prospect in the Dominican Republic to one of baseball’s most dominant pitchers reached another meaningful milestone Tuesday.
Latino Sports traveled to Philadelphia on August 4th to present Sánchez with the 2025 National League LatinoMVP Starting Pitcher of the Year Award, recognizing a season in which the Phillies left-hander established himself among the Latino excellence that came before him.
For Sánchez, the honor carries a significance beyond his 13-5 record, 2.50 ERA and career-high 212 strikeouts across 202 innings.
“It feels quite special, you know, and more because we are representing all of Latin America,” Sánchez said. “For me, it’s more than an honor to win this award, and I am really very proud to win it.”
Cristopher Sánchez received his well-deserved 2025 National League LatinoMVP Starting Pitcher of the Year Award ahead of Tuesday’s Phillies win over the Nationals at Citizens Bank Park – Image Credit: Alexandra Campos/Latino Sports
Sánchez’s journey began in La Romana, a city along the Dominican Republic’s southeastern coast, with Tampa Bay scout Daniel Santana signing the then 16-year-old southpaw as an international free agent in 2013 for a reported $65,000.
He was never regarded as one of the premier prospects in the 2013 class. Sánchez posted a 7.77 ERA during his first Dominican Summer League season and spent six years working through Tampa Bay’s farm system before being traded to Philadelphia for Curtis Mead in November of 2019.
Cristopher Sánchez has become one of the best pitchers in all of baseball over the last three seasons, posting a 2.81 ERA since the start of 2024 with 533 strikeouts and a record of 38-18 across 86 starts – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Even after making his major-league debut in 2021, Sánchez’s roster spot was never secure. He bounced between Triple-A, the bullpen and the starting rotation posting a 5.47 ERA across his first two MLB seasons. He finally claimed a regular rotation spot in 2023 and gradually transformed his sinking fastball and changeup into one of baseball’s most effective combinations.
That development produced his first career All-Star selection in 2024 as well as a breakthrough 2025 campaign that should have earned him back-to-back ASG nods.
Sánchez finished third in the National League in ERA, fifth in strikeouts and second to Paul Skenes in NL Cy Young Award voting. He received all 30 second-place votes.
His rise continued this year when he was named the starting pitcher for the NL All-Star team in the 96th Midsummer Classic at Sanchez’s home ballpark. Additionally, earlier this season, he delivered 50⅔ consecutive scoreless innings—the longest streak by a left-handed pitcher in MLB history—and broke Grover Cleveland Alexander’s 115 year old Phillies franchise record of 41 consecutive scoreless innings.
Despite those accomplishments, Sánchez continues to view every start as an opportunity to represent home and to get better.
“It’s always the goal every five days to go out there to the mound to give your best, to represent the Dominican Republic and the city of Philadelphia,” Sánchez said. “I take pride, and I will always represent my country and my province, La Romana.”
His mother Dayanara remains at the center of that journey.
“My mom,” Sánchez said when asked whom he first thought about after reaching the majors. “She was the first one I spoke with when I first got called up. She has always been there the entire time, and without her, I would not be here today.”
As soon as Cristopher Sánchez was called up to the Majors in 2021, his mother was the first person he called to inform her on the life-changing news – Image Credit: Major League Baseball and Alexandra Campos/Latino Sports
Founded by Julio Pabón in 1990, a year Latino Sports honored Rubén Sierra at Yankee Stadium as the first-ever LatinoMVP recipient, the mission behind the award was to ensure Latino baseball players received meaningful recognition and were presented as role models for future generations.
Winners are now selected by members of the Latino Sports Writers and Broadcasters Association.
Cristopher Sánchez is the first Phillie to win a LatinoMVP Award since his teammate Jesús Luzardo (2023 NL LatinoMVP Starting Pitcher of the Year) did so as a Miami Marlin – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Major League Baseball serves as the award’s official sponsor and works closely with Latino Sports and its team clubs to make the ballpark presentations memorable for each recipient.
“To be recognized for where we come from in Latin America and for the United States and MLB to take us into account and recognize us means a lot,” Sánchez said.
“For all the Latinos who came before me, it’s quite special.”
Latino Sports thanks the Philadelphia Phillies for hosting the presentation and Major League Baseball for its continued sponsorship and support of the LatinoMVP Awards.
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