Promising Lefty Could Be Reason Phillies Aren't Pursuing Top Starters

When scrolling through the Major League Baseball headlines every day, two names keep surfacing.

Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery.

The top two unsigned pitchers seem to be linked to a number of teams, including the Philadelphia Phillies.

Both pitchers would certainly help the Phillies.

Philadelphia already has stellar starters such as Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola and Ranger Suarez. Taijuan Walker and Cristopher Sanchez both performed well last season, but their spots aren't guaranteed.

And they know that.

"That motivates me to work a lot harder, to keep going and make them trust me every time," Sanchez told Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Sanchez developed at a rapid pace last season and posted a 3.32 ERA in 17 starts after being called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley in June.

He became so much more effective because of his improved command, highlighted by his array of off-speed pitches. He figured out how to pitch and the results were overwhelmingly positive.

"That's been a way that we've come along: less velocity and better command of the strike zone," Sanchez said. "But I also think I can have the velocity and now the command of the strike zone and be better."

He can't control free agent signings or trades. If Snell or Montgomery ultimately joined the Phillies, the team would be better.

If Sanchez continues to show even more improvement this spring, he'll have a chance to prove to Philadelphia that he's ready to take another step forward.

Sometimes, player development works over a quick free agent fix. Not always.

Sanchez's work ethic has been impressive. His execution has been solid as well.

While Snell and Montgomery remain in the headlines, Sanchez simply keeps getting better.