Cristopher Sanchez was named an All-Star for the second time, but the left-hander has struggled lately on the road for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Meanwhile, Kansas City left-hander Noah Cameron continues to have his own mound issues during a second major league season.
Looking to get back on track away from home, Sanchez leads the Phillies in the series rubber game Monday against Cameron and the host Royals.
Sanchez (10-3, 2.00 ERA) ranks among the major league leaders among starters in wins, ERA, strikeouts (136) and innings pitched (117). Sanchez also is a contender to start the All-Star Game on July 14 at his major league home of Philadelphia.
During the Phillies’ 8-0 home victory over Pittsburgh on Tuesday, Sanchez fanned nine and allowed three hits with two walks in seven innings. All this while dealing with a small cut on his left thumb.
“He’s impressive enough,” interim Phillies manager Don Mattingly said. “Obviously, he sets the tone. … Attacking the zone, getting ahead in the count, all that.”
However, Sanchez has yielded nine runs and 15 hits, including three homers, over 10 2/3 innings of his last two road starts. He yielded 10 earned runs through his first five away starts prior to those two.
Sanchez also looks for a better effort than his only previous appearance against the Royals, when he was tagged for six runs and six hits, including two homers, over five innings in no-decision. But that came in 2023.
These Royals have totaled just 24 runs during their current 2-8 stretch. However, Kansas City evened this three-game series with a 5-2 victory Sunday.
While Philadelphia looks to bounce back and win its third straight road series, Kansas City is trying to win back-to-back contests for the first time since June 22-23.
Cameron (4-6, 4.95) posted a 2.99 ERA in 24 starts and finished fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting last season, but he has battled inconsistently in 2026. The left-hander posted a quality start in four of five outings from May 16 to June 7 but owns a 9.00 ERA in four outings since, and he’s lost in two straight.
On Tuesday, in a 10-4 home loss to Tampa Bay, Cameron allowed six runs, nine hits and three walks, without a strikeout, spanning a season-low 3 2/3 innings.
“Wasn’t getting ahead in the count, which makes it challenging,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of Cameron. “I think it’s different on different nights. … Just a little bit of inconsistency.”
Cameron yielded solo homers to Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto, but just two other hits and one walk while striking out seven during seven solid innings against the Phillies in Kansas City’s 10-3 road victory from his start on Sept. 14, 2025.
Schwarber leads the major leagues with 30 home runs, but after going hitless with a walk in four at-bats Sunday, he’s 3-for-14 with seven strikeouts and no homers in July. Teammate Bryson Stott, though, had two hits Sunday and is batting .357 (10-for-28) in his last seven games.
Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. is 0-for-3 with a strikeout in his career against Sanchez. However, he had two hits Sunday, when he also recorded his 30th stolen base for a fifth consecutive season.
Witt is 8-for-17 with three walks and five runs scored in his last five interleague games.
–Field Level Media
