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Dominican Republic pitcher Cristopher S\u00e1nchez throws during the first inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Nicaragua, Friday, March 6, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo\/Lynne Sladky)<\/p>\n
PHILADELPHIA \u2014 The Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to a new six-year contract with opening day starter Cristopher Sanchez.<\/p>\n
The deal announced Sunday for last season\u2019s NL Cy Young Award runner-up begins in 2027 and will run through 2032 with a club option for 2033.<\/p>\n
Terms were not immediately available.<\/p>\n
Sanchez had been pitching under a $22.5 million, four-year contract that was through 2028.<\/p>\n
He went 13-5 with a 2.50 ERA in 32 starts last season and struck out a career-high 212 batters. He\u2019s 30-21 overall in four full big league seasons.<\/p>\n
Originally signed by the Tampa Bay Rays as an amateur free agent in 2013, Sanchez was acquired in a trade by the Phillies on Nov. 20, 2019, for infielder Curtis Mead.<\/p>\n
Mead played in just 41 games for the Chicago White Sox last season while Sanchez has blossomed into one of the best pitchers in baseball and helped key the Phillies\u2019 run to consecutive NL East titles in 2024 and 2025.<\/p>\n
The Phillies want to keep their postseason run going \u2014 four straight appearances headed into 2026 \u2014 and have locked up all veteran members of their staff to long-term deals.<\/p>\n
Jesus Luzardo earlier this month finalized a $135 million, five-year contract that starts in 2027. Zack Wheeler has a $126 million deal through the 2027 and Aaron Nola a $172 million, seven-year agreement through 2030. Rookie Andrew Painter is under team control through 2031 and earned the fifth starter spot in the rotation.<\/p>\n
Sorry about that<\/p>\n
Randy Arozarena has apologized to Seattle Mariners teammate Cal Raleigh after Arozarena cursed out the catcher for not returning a handshake at the World Baseball Classic. <\/p>\n
Arozarena said in a statement issued through the Mariners that he doesn\u2019t want the incident to \u201cbe a distraction. Cal and I have talked and I apologized for what I said after the game.\u201d <\/p>\n
The incident between the two took place on March 9 when Arozarena reached down to greet Raleigh in his catcher\u2019s squat at home plate, and Raleigh declined to offer his hand back in a game in which the Americans beat Mexico 5-3.<\/p>\n
Out of the lineup<\/p>\n
MESA, Ariz. \u2014 Manager Craig Counsell says slugger Seiya Suzuki will miss the Chicago Cubs\u2019 season opener after suffering a minor ligament strain in his right knee during the World Baseball Classic. <\/p>\n
The team was mulling whether to place him on the injured list. The Cubs open against Washington at Wrigley Field on Thursday. Suzuki got hurt in Japan\u2019s 8-5 loss to Venezuela in a World Baseball Classic quarterfinal March 14 in Miami. <\/p>\n
He walked gingerly to the dugout after a headfirst slide into second base when he was caught stealing in the first inning.<\/p>\n
Giants get some relief<\/p>\n
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. \u2014 The San Francisco Giants and veteran left-hander Ryan Borucki have agreed to a one-year contract. <\/p>\n
Borucki, who turns 32 on March 31, was a combined 1-3 with a 4.63 ERA last season in 35 appearances for Pittsburgh and four with Toronto. He is 15-12 with a 4.28 ERA in 187 games and 21 starts over eight seasons with the Pirates, Blue Jays and Mariners. <\/p>\n
A Chicago-area native, Borucki spent time with the White Sox this spring after signing a minor-league deal.<\/p>\n
Done for the season<\/p>\n
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. \u2014 Colorado Rockies reliever RJ Petit will miss this season after he had Tommy John surgery with an internal brace. MLB.com reported that the operation was performed by Dr. Keith Meister on Friday in Dallas. <\/p>\n
The Rockies selected the 6-foot-8 prospect with the first pick in last year\u2019s Rule 5 draft. The 26-year-old Petit was taken by the Tigers in the 14th round of the 2021 amateur draft. He went 10-2 with a 2.44 ERA in two starts and 45 relief appearances last season for Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo. He struck out 79 and walked 22 in 66\u2022 innings.<\/p>\n
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