The Philadelphia Phillies had a bit of a scare Tuesday night when lefty starter Cristopher Sánchez exited after just two innings against the New York Mets, later diagnosed with soreness in his left forearm. Fortunately, the news since has been mostly positive—Sánchez is already feeling better and was eager to throw ahead of Wednesday’s game, a good sign that a major injury has been avoided.
It seems the Phillies may have dodged a serious setback. Early indications suggest Sánchez might miss just one start. But with Ranger Suárez still on the 15-day injured list, manager Rob Thomson could need to get creative with his rotation.
“Sánchez is feeling good,” Thomson told reporters. “He wanted to play catch today. They told him to wait. No plans for an MRI. He could be bumped back a few days. He’ll play catch Friday. So, we’ll see.”
Who Could Step In? Here Are 3 In-House Options:
1. Joe Ross (RHP)
If the Phillies need someone to hold down the fort temporarily, Joe Ross is the most obvious candidate. He’s already on the big-league roster, so they wouldn’t need to shuffle the 40-man, and his experience as a former starter (86 career starts) gives him an edge. Ross tossed three shutout innings and struck out three against the Mets on Tuesday—a solid audition for a spot start, potentially next week versus the Nationals.
While his start to the season hasn’t been perfect, this kind of long-relief performance was one of the reasons the Phillies brought him aboard.
2. Nabil Crismatt (RHP)
Another option is Nabil Crismatt, who’s been quietly effective at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. With a 3-1 record and 3.43 ERA across four starts, Crismatt brings experience and steadiness, having logged time with the Cardinals, Padres, and Dodgers. However, adding him would require a 40-man roster move—no small decision if Sánchez is only missing a single turn. A temporary call-up might not justify the longer-term roster implications, especially since he’d need to be designated for assignment afterward.
3. Kyle Tyler (RHP)
Kyle Tyler is more of an emergency fallback. Acquired last August from the Marlins, Tyler’s recent numbers at Lehigh Valley don’t exactly scream promotion—he’s got a 3.98 ERA with just nine strikeouts over 20⅓ innings in four starts. He does offer flexibility, as he’s on the 40-man roster and still has a minor league option. But unless the Phillies are out of alternatives, Tyler remains a long shot for now.
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