Sánchez punches out four in two innings, Harper homers in WBC tune-up
It was his first start of the spring, but Cristopher Sánchez already looked like himself on Saturday in Dunedin.
It’s good news for the Phillies, but moreso for his other team. Because their games next week will matter.
In his first and last outing before the World Baseball Classic, Sánchez struck out four Blue Jays in two innings. He allowed two hits, one of them a swinging bunt. He threw seven changeups and got whiffs on all of them.
One of each — whiff and hit — came to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who got fooled on a 2-1 changeup and shared a laugh with the southpaw about it.
Guerrero lined a single through the right side on the next pitch, but Sánchez won’t have to worry about him in next month’s Classic. The two-time top-10 NL Cy Young finisher and two-time top-10 AL MVP finisher will star together on a team full of stars. And Sánchez will get things going for the D.R. as its ace, opening the WBC against Nicaragua next week.
Another Phillie who’ll draw some excitement in the tournament had a strong final tune-up, and this one, Sánchez could have to worry about if they get far enough. Bryce Harper popped his first homer of the spring, lifting a changeup from former Phillies prospect Connor Seabold 351 feet to right.
It was Harper’s third extra-base hit in eight at bats this spring, giving him a 1.500 OPS.
It’s still early, and none of these games mean much. But for those two, soon, they will. And on both fronts, so far, so good.