The Ringer's Philly Special Phillies First Impressions, And Did the Sixers Season Just Get Interesting?
Mar 30, 2026
Anthony Dabbundo, Philly sports writer and Ringer contributor, breaks down the Phillies’ opening series and early storylines. They discuss Cristopher Sanchez’s breakout start, Justin Crawford’s debut and defense, concerns around Nola and Luzardo, lineup and bullpen fits, plus whether a healthy Sixers can turn into a dangerous playoff team.
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Cristopher Sanchez Looks Like A Frontline Ace
- Cristopher Sanchez immediately established himself as a frontline starter with a dominant Opening Day performance and electric changeup that forced heavy whiffs and weak contact.
- Sanchez struck out 10, allowed three hits, and showed emotion and consistency that flipped Cy Young chatter after just one outing according to Sheil Kapadia and Anthony Dabbundo.
Normalize Small Samples Before Judging Pitchers
- When comparing early-season pitching numbers, remove extreme outlier starts on both sides to avoid misleading conclusions.
- Dabbundo and Kapadia warn not to overreact to one bad Paul Skenes or one great Sanchez outing because small samples distort cy-young odds.
Justin Crawford's Approach Exceeded Expectations
- Justin Crawford's debut showed strong plate discipline and competitiveness despite little hard contact, suggesting a workable MLB approach early on.
- Crawford reached base four times in three games, made a spectacular catch, and matched selective at-bats against a quality Rangers pitching staff.