Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez had a rare emotional outburst in Monday night’s 13-3 blowout loss to the New York Mets at Citi Field — and cameras caught every second. The Phillies dropped their eighth straight game at Citi Field as tensions boiled over amid a tightening NL East standings race.
NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark posted a short but telling clip on X (formerly known as Twitter), capturing the starter’s frustration in real time. The pitcher was seen in the dugout, tossing his glove to the side, kicking a trashcan, and shouting.
“Phillies lose their 8th straight game at Citi Field to the Mets. They get crushed 13 to 3. Bad things and weird things happen to the Phillies in Queens”
Phillies lose their 8th straight game at Citi Field to the Mets
They get crushed 13 to 3. Bad things and weird things happen to the Phillies in Queens
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) August 26, 2025
His dugout outburst came after the Mets tied the game in the fourth and then broke it open shortly. The Phillies’ early 3-0 lead vanished as New York poured on 13 unanswered runs. Luis Torrens delivered a three-run homer and added two more RBI hits, while Mark Vientos contributed with a pair of RBI doubles to fuel the 13-3 blowout.
In a follow-up post, Clark further explained the gravity of the moment and Sanchez’s reaction.
“Cristopher Sanchez tonight was so frustrated giving up 5 earned runs, his most in over a year, and he kicked a trashcan in the dugout and then took it down the steps. He was visibly upset. He walked 3 batters. His worst start of the season.”
The Mets vs. Phillies showdown continued a troubling trend for Philadelphia. They’ve now lost eight straight games at Citi Field, with their last win there coming on May 31, 2024. That skid includes a 3-1 series loss in the 2024 NLDS. With 30 games remaining, their lead over New York in the division has shrunk to just five games.
With the loss, the club drops to 76-56 on the season, and their lead in the National League East shrunk to just five games over the Mets. Sanchez, who entered the game with an 11-4 record and a 2.66 ERA, saw his season ERA climb after allowing six earned runs over 5.1 innings in Monday’s blowout at Citi Field. He also walked three and struck out four, marking his worst start of the year.
This game also featured a strange mid-inning delay in the fifth, as Alec Bohm voiced concern about a parabolic microphone in center field, which paused the game for nearly 10 minutes before the Mets rally began.
As the calendar turns toward September, the southpaw's emotional moment might symbolize a larger issue. The Phillies are still atop the division, but the margin is closing, and the pressure is rising fast. This is a club built to contend, but nights like this, in ballparks like Citi Field, continue to raise serious questions.
