Anibal Sánchez

At 40 years old, Anibal Sánchez has this physical status:

Aníbal Alejandro Sánchez Jr. (Spanish: [aˈniβal ˈsantʃes]; born February 27, 1984) is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2006 with the Florida Marlins and has also played for the Detroit Tigers and Atlanta Braves. On September 6, 2006, in his 13th career Major League start, Sánchez pitched a no-hitter against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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Career

In 2001, Sánchez was signed by the Boston Red Sox as an international free agent. Sánchez sustained an elbow injury while playing in the Venezuelan Summer League for two seasons, causing him to miss the entire 2003 season.

He returned to the octagon in the following year, this time with the short-season Single-A Lowell Spinners. Sánchez set a 3–4 record with a 1.77 earned run average (ERA), and by the end of the year, he was one of Boston's top pitching prospects. Baseball America named Sánchez Boston's fifth-best prospect, behind shortstop Hanley Ramrez, outfielder Brandon Moss, and pitcher Jonathan Papelbon and Jon Lester after the 2004 season. Ramrez, Papelbon, and Lester had all played in the major leagues by 2006; Moss was selected as the Portland Sea Dogs Most Valuable Player.

In Wilmington, Boston's High-A ball affiliate, 2005 saw the young prospect start the season off. Since a record of 6.40 years, being selected for the All-Star Futures Game and playing on the Carolina League All-Star team, he was promoted to the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs. Sánchez got off to a hot start on the season, but he became drained toward the end of the season, causing some fear about his tenacity. Still, Sánchez had a 3.45 ERA over 11 starts in his first year in Double-A; at 21 years old, he was still one of the youngest players in the league.

In the same trade that brought Josh Beckett, Guillermo Mota, and Harvey Garca to the Florida Marlins, the Boston Red Sox traded Sánchez, Jes' Delgado, Jes' Delgado, and Harvey Garca to the Florida Marlins at the end of the 2005 season. The Marlins traded several of their other key players since the 2005 season, including Carlos Delgado, Juan Pierre, Paul Lo Duca, and Luis Castillo, mostly minor-league prospects, in comparison to Beckett and Lowell. Sánchez finished third in the Marlins system (after Jeremy Herman and Ramirez) and fourth overall in the major leagues at the start of the 2006 season.

In 2006, the Marlins welcomed six rookies to Class AA, but the Carolina Mudcats moved Sánchez to Class AA to start the season. Sánchez made his first 15 starts with the Mudcats in 2006, for whom he set a new record of 3.15 years. He pitched two complete games with Carolina, one of which was a seven-hit shutout.

He was called up to the majors in Yankee Stadium against the Yankees on June 25, beginning with the second half of a doubleheader. Sánchez's debut in major leagues was a success, with seven hits and no runs allowed in 523 innings against the Yankees. He then turned the game over to his bullpen, which blanked the Yankees the remainder of the way, eschewing the Yankees for the first time all year, 5–0. Sánchez was only the second visiting starter in the last decade to win his big-league debut at Yankee Stadium (fellow Venezuelan Gustavo Chacn of the Toronto Blue Jays, who beat the Yankees in September 2004, is the other). On July 14, the 22-year-old Sánchez fired against and stunned Houston Astros pitcher Roger Clemens, who made his MLB debut when Sánchez was just three months old.

Sánchez missed the Arizona Diamondbacks 2–0 at Dolphin Stadium on September 6, 2006. He walked four batters and struck out six out of six, tossing out six in 103 pitches. In Sánchez's no-hitter, the Marlins, who used 21 rookies during the 2006 season, played six times, setting the record for the most rookies to play for the winning team in a no-hitter.

Sánchez earned his tenth victory over the Cincinnati Reds on September 27, joining Josh Johnson, Scott Olsen, and Ricky Nolasco in the first group of four rookie teammates to win more than 1,000 in their rookie seasons. Dontrelle Willis, the Marlins' left-hander, had a record of 12–12, so the Marlins won their first set of five pitchers with ten or more victories in franchise history. In 18 major-league games (17 starts), he played for the Marlins in his first season, a record of 10–3 and an ERA of 2.83.

The Marlins presented Sánchez with the pitching rubber and home plate used in his no-hitter before their game against the Philadelphia Phillies on September 30. The Mayor and Board of County Commissioners' Miami-Dade County Office was officially opened on September 30, 2006, the Anza Sánchez Day.

During spring training, Sánchez suffered with shoulder pains, but the Marlins also started 2007 with a 4.0 ERA in six starts, leading off the year in 2007 with a 4.0 ERA in six starts. On May 4, the Marlins demoted Sánchez from the disabled list to Class AAA Albuquerque, citing his fights with control. After Dr. James Andrews' surgery to repair a tear in his labrum, it was announced that his season was over.

Sánchez played his first Major League game in almost 15 months against the Colorado Rockies on July 31, 2008. He had a good outing and pitched 5+2/3 innings while giving up two runs on six hits and striking out four runs. The Marlins continued to win that game 12–2, with Sánchez winning his first game of the season.

Sánchez's debut in 2009 was limited to 16 starts, but he saw changes in his stats, finishing with a 3.87 ERA and his lowest WHIP and opponent's batting average since his rookie year.

Sánchez, the only Marlins' starter to stay in the starting rotation for the entire season, saw him finally get through a whole season in 2010. With 13, he set a record high in victories, with a corresponding low ERA of 3.55 and 195 innings pitched.

He took another no-hitter into the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies on April 22, before giving up a single point to Dexter Fowler. Sánchez played his fourth game in his career. Sánchez struck a no-hitter in the seventh inning against the Washington Nationals before losing it. Sánchez would win by 1–0 over the San Francisco Giants on May 26 for his third straight game. In early September, Sánchez will throw a one-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates, his fourth shutout and second of the season. The team's absence of run support and injuries led to a 2–7 finish to the season after starting the season 6–2.

Anbal made 19 starts for the Miami Marlins in 2012, compiling a 5–7 record with a 3.94 ERA.

Sánchez was traded to the Detroit Tigers alongside Omar Infante for Jacob Turner, Rob Brantley, Brian Flynn, and a draft pick on July 23, 2012. He made it to the Tigers' 3–6 record in 12 starts, going 4–6 for a 3.74 ERA. The Tigers won the AL Central division, giving Sánchez a chance to play in the first postseason of his career.

Sánchez started and lost Game 3 against the Oakland Athletics in the 2012 ALDS, despite giving up two runs in 6+13 innings as the Tigers offense did not score in the game. Sánchez won on three hits over seven innings in Game 2 of the 2012 ALCS, defeating the New York Yankees on three hits over seven innings and gaining the victory in a 3–0 game. Sánchez scored out eight over seven innings in Game 3 of the 2012 World Series, but the Tigers lost by 2–0 to the San Francisco Giants. Overall, he went 1–2 in the 2012 postseason with a 1.77 ERA.

Sánchez agreed to a five-year, $80 million deal in order to remain with the Tigers on December 14, 2012. The agreement includes $75 million in salary for five years and more for a squad option in the sixth year, potentially worth the contract to a potential $91 million. If the Tigers did not exercise the option, they would have owe Sánchez a $5 million buyout fee.

In the Tigers' second game of the season, Sánchez made his 2013 regular season debut on April 3 as the starting pitcher. Sánchez set a Detroit Tigers franchise record of 16 strikeouts against the Atlanta Braves on April 26, breaking the previous team record of 16 sets set in 1972 by Mickey Lolich. Sánchez was only 8 innings pitched before being banned from the game prior to the ninth inning after tossing 121 pitches. Sánchez made his second appearance in his career on May 24, making his second appearance in the league. He did not allow a single strike against the Minnesota Twins for 821–3 innings before surrendering a single to Joe Mauer. In the Tigers' 6–0 win, he finished the game with a shutout.

In a 1–0 victory over the Chicago White Sox on September 11, Sánchez won his 14th game of the 2013 season, a new record for victories in a season. He had a 14-08 record in the regular season, and he had fanning 202 batters in 182 innings pitched. All American League starters were ranked by his 2.57 ERA. He also allowed the fewest home runs per nine innings in the AL (0.4).

In Game 1 of the American League Championship Series, Sánchez struck out four Boston Red Sox batters in the first inning due to a wild pitch on one of the strikeouts. Following Orval Overall in the 1908 World Series, he became the second player in Major League history to accomplish this feat in the postseason. Sánchez went on to pitch six no-hit innings with 12 strikeouts and six walks. He was suspended prior to the seventh inning after tossing 116 pitches, but the Tigers took the lead in a 1–0 win. In Game 5 of the season, he wasn't as efficient, surrendering nine hits and four runs (three earned) in six innings as the Tigers lost 4–3.

Sánchez, the Tigers' #3 starter, was introduced in 2014. Due to a laceration of his right middle finger, he was put on the disabled list on April 26. With a victory over the Boston Red Sox on May 18, he returned to the rotation. Sánchez thrashed Alberto Callaspo of the Oakland Athletics on June 30, a 1,000th strikeout.

With a numbness in his side, Sánchez left a game against the Toronto Blue Jays on August 8. For the second time this season, the injury was classified as a strained pectoral muscle, sending Sánchez to the disabled list.

Due to Max Scherzer's offseason absence and injury to Justin Verlander, Sánchez started as the Tigers' #2 starter in 2015. He had a rough start to the 2015 season, losing 13 home runs in his first 12 starts (after giving up just four home runs in 22 games during the 2014 season). In June, he showed signs of turning the season around, with no runs against the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds in back-to-back starts. In a 6–0 victory, Sánchez threw a two-hit shutout in the second game on June 15. It was his seventh shutout of his career and his first complete game since May 24, 2013. Sánchez had no walks, struck out seven, and faced just one batter over the minimum.

Sánchez was put on the disabled list on August 20, with inflammation in his right rotator cuff. He would not return for the remainder of 2015. He had a 10–10 record prior to being put on the DL, with a 4.99 ERA in 25 starts, but he had only one quality start in his last ten starts. Despite his shortened season, he surrendered a career-high 29 home runs, which also led the American League.

Sánchez, who had a 3–6 record and a 6.67 ERA in his first 11 starts, was demoted to the Tiger bullpen after his May 31 match against the Los Angeles Angels. Sanchez was back in the starting rotation in Cleveland on July 5 against the Cleveland Indians, who lost 4.1 innings. He was in the starting lineup for a large portion of the season due to injuries to other Tiger starters. Sánchez failed for his second straight season, leading to a 7–13 record with a ERA of 5.87, as well as allowing 30 home runs, a new career record.

Sánchez debuted in the 2017 season as a long-serving role. Sánchez had a weak showing in his first 11 appearances of the year as his ERA plummeted to 9.00. He was demoted to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens on May 22. Sánchez was recall by the Tigers on June 18, and the Seattle Mariners got off to a good start the next day. Since starting the game in the third inning a day earlier, he was put on the 10-day DL with hamstring tightness.

Sánchez agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Minnesota Twins on February 20, 2018, despite the club's conditional agreement of withholding spring training. On March 11, the Twins announced him on March 11.

Sánchez signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves on March 16, 2018. The Braves selected Sánchez's deal on April 2nd. After suffering a hamstring injury, he was on the disabled list on April 18. After missing more than a month, he was able to be taken off the disabled list on May 29. Sánchez had his best season since 2013, finishing with a record of 7–6 on a 2.83 ERA in 24 starts.

Sánchez, who was rebounds from a fruitful bounceback season with the Braves, has signed a $19 million two-year contract with the Washington Nationals on December 27, 2018. The 2021 season also has a club option. Sánchez won his 100th game in career against the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 16, 2019, and led all NL pitchers in errors with four.

Sánchez started with a no-hitter in Game 1 of the 2019 National League Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals before allowing José Martnez with a pinch-hit single. Sánchez was the 6th pitcher in MLB playoff history to post a no-hit bid for at least 7+223 innings. Sánchez and Scherzer followed a feat they accomplished in Games 1 and 2 of the 2013 American League Championship Series, with teammate Max Scherzer failing his bid for a no-hitter in the 7th inning the next day. During the first five innings of consecutive postseason games, no other pair of starting pitchers has ever been hitless; Sánchez and Scherzer have now done it twice.

He was 4–5 with a 6.62 ERA in 2020. He led the NL in earned runs allowed (39). After the season, he became a free agent.

Since hosting a January showcase, Sánchez has turned down "multiple" major league bids, according to the author, who expressed skepticism about COVID-19 and the protocols surrounding it. Although a survey revealed that Sánchez was planning to sign with a team in late April, Sánchez later announced in mid-July that he was no longer planning to pitch in 2021. Sánchez had received some major league calls, but none were at his desired level because he was looking for an incentive-laden contract.

Sánchez resigned from a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals on March 13, 2022. Sanchez had his deal signed to the big leagues on April 4, 2022.

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