Tuesday night was supposed to be a step forward for the Philadelphia Phillies—a moment to silence the ghost of last season and finally give an answer back to the New York Mets. But the Phillies walked out with a tight pit in their stomach and with plenty of things to worry about after their game.
Cristopher Sanchez, the rising star who is right now the factor of calm in a rather shaky rotation, took the mound to change the tide for them. His ERA was at 2.96, and he had just struck out a dozen Giants in his last start. So the vibe was set, and everyone from the team to the fans was hopeful that he would do something just as awesome.
But that hope unraveled rather faster than expected. (talk about bad luck)
Sanchez lasted just two innings and also didn’t quite look like himself. In those innings, he threw 58 pitches and gave up two runs. And then came the early hook, which raised several eyebrows for sure. But that’s not all, because the real kicker came as a shocker- left forearm soreness.
Those three words dropped like a free weight in the Philadelphia Phillies dugout. That’s the kind of diagnosis that sends shivers down the spine. Because it sometimes does whisper, “Tommy John,” before others even dare say it. He was then seen by the Philadelphia Phillies doctor, and then he ran through some of the movement drills in the training room. And that’s for sure better than watching him head straight to an MRI. But the team won’t be resting easy for sure, because they need him.
Ranger Suarez is still on the injured list, and Aaron Nola cannot find his groove. Sanchez, therefore, became that anchor for the Philadelphia Phillies. The 22.5 million pitcher wasn’t just filling the innings; he was setting the tone. And now with this diagnosis, the rotation has a threat to take a major dip. However, when Sanchez was confronted on his take, he felt pretty confident that he was just okay.
Philadelphia Phillies Sanchez shrugs off injury scare
Then the 26-year-old is rather calm about his forearm soreness, as the team doctor didn’t seem to have raised any red flags. “Right now, I feel normal. I think it’s not going to be a thing we have to worry about … The doc checked me out, and I feel positive that we’re not going to have to be worried about this,” said Sanchez. And this is exactly what the Phillies need.
Even J.T. Realmuto, who caught Cristopher Sanchez that night, seemed more relaxed after talking to him post-game. “After talking to him, I’m not as concerned as when he came out.” And his worry is understandable because forearm injuries are no joke. One can remain in IL for a long time, and undergo surgeries, and overall several times the outcome is ugly.
But really, the only one who even noticed that something was not right from the get-go with Cristopher Sanchez was Realmuto himself. He had been feeling that something was off from the warmups. “In the bullpen, he was just a little more erratic than he usually is. His fastball command wasn’t good at all; his pitches weren’t doing what they normally do.” And he was right.
For now, though, the Philadelphia Phillies haven’t confirmed whether Sanchez will get an MRI or if he will miss his next start against the Nationals on Tuesday. Until that happens, the fans sure will be holding their breath. Do you think it will be nothing more than a yellow light? Let us know your thoughts.
The post Phillies Hold Their Breath as $22.5M Star Suffers Alarming Injury Scare in Scary On-Field Moment appeared first on EssentiallySports.
