With the first-round bye secured, the Philadelphia Phillies must make a decision about Cristopher Sanchez

When Christopher Sanchez starts pitching Game 2 of the NLDS on October 6, he will be ready to show the Philadelphia Phillies that they made the right decision.

Sanchez dominated the entire season at the friendly Citizens Bank Park, which will also host Game 2 of the NLDS after the Phillies lost a Bye in the first round after a win over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night.

The discussion about whether Sanchez or Aaron Nola should start Game 2 of a playoff series. If Sanchez gets that call, he can feel the excitement of pitching in front of a raucous crowd at Citizens Bank Park that has supported him all year.

“I think it’s special. I’ve been working toward this my whole life,” Sanchez said Wednesday through Phillies Spanish interpreter Diego D’Aniello. “I’ve dreamed of moments like this my whole life. I just have to stay focused, but we all know what our goal is.”

Sanchez has argued for a start in Game 2 of the NLDS because he has played so well at Citizens Bank Park this year. He finished the season 7-3 with a 2.21 ERA at home in 17 starts, recording 99 strikeouts and 17 walks.

Compare that to Sanchez’s performance on the road, where he is just 4-6 with a 5.02 ERA. The Phillies have a decision to make about what to do with one of their top pitchers in arguably the best 1-through-4 starting lineup in baseball among postseason clubs.

Of course, the Phillies can rely on Nola, but Sanchez has pitched his way into the Game 2 discussion.

“This kid has had a hell of a season. He really has,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “He’s a big part of it.”

Sanchez has only appeared in one postseason game. He was the starter in Game 4 of the 2023 NLCS when Thomson took him out of the game after just 2 1/3 innings and 38 pitches. Sanchez is a completely different pitcher heading into October than the risk the Phillies took in Game 4 last year.

He is ready for the opportunity and has learned from the brutality of last postseason.

“You have to take them pitch by pitch, out by out, inning by inning and so on,” Sanchez said. “I think we have to make those quick adjustments in these short series. Whoever gets hot first has a pretty good chance.”

“I will try to make the right adjustments at the right time.”

Sanchez finished his regular season with a record of 11-9, throwing a career-high 181.2 innings and allowing a 3.32 ERA. In his breakthrough season, he struck out 153 hitters and walked 44.

Now the Phillies must decide where Sanchez will play in the postseason. The decision may already have been made for them.