Sixto focused on being dominant like his idol Pedro
Pitcher Sixto Sanchez dazzled at times during his first MLB season with the Marlins but the prized prospect still has room to improve his game.
The number is etched permanently on Sixto Sanchez’s right calf and now is also under his name on the back of his jersey.
45.
It’s an homage to Pedro Martinez, theHall of Fame pitcher and Sanchez’s baseball idol growing up in the Dominican Republic. Sanchez was 12 years old when he began truly honing in on Martinez’s style on the field, his intense focus and commitment to his craft.
“Since I was little, I used to watch Pedro play and pitch,” said Sanchez, who wore No. 73 last season (the number he was originally given in 2020 spring training). “I really want to accomplish many things that he did.”
The Marlins believe Sanchez is talented enough to have a career like Marti
nez, who compiled a 219100 record, a 2.93 ERA and 3,154 strikeouts over 18 big-league seasons with three Cy Young Awards, eight All-Star Game selections and a World Series crown with the Boston Red Sox in 2004.
They saw flashes of Sanchez’s potential for dominance when he made his MLB debut last season. He made nine starts, including two in the playoffs, and posted a 3.64 ERA with 41 strikeouts against 16 walks over 47 innings.
All of his starts came when the Marlins were in the midst of the hunt for a playoff spot, giving Sanchez additional motivation to perform well. The Marlins had him on the mound for their series clincher against the Chicago Cubs in the best-of-3 wild-card series and trusted him with the ball in their win-or-gohome game against the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division Series.
“One of the main things was just being able to play in the playoffs,” Sanchez said. “I think that was one of the greatest things. When I got the call that I was going to pitch that second game against the Cubbies, I got very excited. My head was really up high. I was full of energy.”
Sanchez specifically and the Marlins collectively hope last season won’t be the only time they make the playoffs with him in the rotation.
Sanchez’s strength is his undeniable pure stuff. He threw 13 pitches during the regular season that hit at least 100 mph, more than any starting pitcher not named Jacob deGrom. Nine of those 13 went for strikes.
Sanchez’s fastball averaged 98.5 mph, fourth-best in MLB behind deGrom (98.6), Brusdar Graterol (98.8) and Dustin May (99.1) among pitchers who threw at least 250 pitches in the regular season.
“Sixto came as advertised,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “His stuff was electric. I thought he attacked the strike zone for the most part. There really wasn’t anything not to like.”
But there are areas where he can improve. Namely, Sanchez needs to prioritize game-planning and adjusting to opponents after they have faced him. Including the playoffs, Sanchez faced five teams during his nine starts last season — the Washington Nationals, Tampa Bay Rays, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs.
His cumulative stats the first time he faced each team: Six earned runs allowed in 37 innings (a 1.50 ERA) on 28 hits and seven walks with 35 strikeouts.
His combined stats in his second start against the Nationals and his second and third starts against the Braves: 13 earned runs allowed in 10 innings (11.70 ERA) on 16 hits and nine walks with just six strikeouts.
“Moving forward, his [bullpen sessions], his work in between [starts], his preparation, just all the things that it takes for the starter” are where the Marlins hope to see Sanchez develop this year, Mattingly said. “It seemed like he kind of just played off one game into the next [last season] instead of staying with how he wanted to attack guys.
“If they jumped his fastball the first game, he may go earlier with his off-speed and not throw as many fastballs. Just kind of back and forth like that instead of just attacking the way he wanted to attack.”
That has been one of Sanchez’s priorities since the season ended. It started with the handful of bullpen sessions he threw this offseason in the Dominican Republic.
It will continue over the next five weeks in spring training.
He’s also working on improving the command of his fastball high in the zone.
“Keep working hard,” Sanchez said. “That’s the plan. Make the team and help my team win games and make the playoffs again.”