Just a year ago, Sixto Sanchez was pitching in the Phillies organization as the number one pitching prospect in the farm system. Now he’s pitching for the Marlins AA team. But how did he end up on the Marlins? Sanchez was the big piece in the trade that landed JT Realmuto for the Phillies. Certainly, the Phillies don’t regret the trade now, but Sanchez might make them regret it eventually.
Sanchez was so upset when he got traded that he cried:
“It was a little bit difficult, but it wasn’t my decision,” Sanchez said in Spanish. “
In the moment, I even cried.“I was really surprised. I would have never imagined that they would have traded me. I wasn’t prepared for it. Once I came to terms with it, I said, ‘OK. I’m traded now and I’m going to work hard.’ “
Let’s say this. I would cry too if I were traded to the Marlins. That has to suck. The second you reach the big leagues, you have to play for a team that will never win. Then you have to wait a few more years until the Marlins eventually trade you during expensive arbitration years. That’s the circle of life in Miami. I would be pissed too.
I didn’t like the JT Realmuto trade for the Phillies when it happened. So far, it’s a trade worth making. For now, I should say. Realmuto has been a big contributor. Realmuto is hitting .273 with 10 homers. The Phillies catcher also has an OPS+ of 98 and a WAR of 2.6. Philadelphia gave up Sanchez and catcher Jorge Alfaro. The latter has posted similar offensive numbers and comes with a lot more team control. Sanchez is off to an okay start in AA where he is 3-4 with a 3.88 ERA in 10 starts. The more encouraging stat is his strikeout to walk which sits at 58-12 in over 55 innings pitched.
