WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: QUARTERFINALS

March 12, 2026

Cristopher Sanchez

LoanDepot Park

Team Dominican Republic

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. The same question that I asked Albert. The mindset for tomorrow, the bullpen. We don't know very much about Korea, right?

CRISTOPHER SANCHEZ: The mindset is to compete. I'm going to do my best, as usual. I haven't faced their players, and vice versa. They don't know me.

Q. Cristopher, you only had one real performance before your debut in this World Classic. In the second round now with more pitches allowed and with the experience of the first performance, what did you find that you can improve for your second performance? Did you find any failures when you took a look at the videos, et cetera?

CRISTOPHER SANCHEZ: I failed some pitches and I learned from those mistakes, you know? And the chemistry is different than the chemistry we had. In the Dominican Republic, we trust each other and we support each other.

Q. How are you going to control your emotions to have a good performance?

CRISTOPHER SANCHEZ: Yes. I have to control my emotions on the mound. This is something that I have done, and tomorrow will be no exception.

Q. Greetings. Your first performance was kind of complicated. Are you now relaxed because you know that the offense of the DR is huge?

CRISTOPHER SANCHEZ: I remember the first performance, I told Caminero, I have never felt like this. I mean, the offense is so hard that I'm quiet, I'm relaxed.

And he said, Yeah, you have to go out and be relaxed to pitch because the offense we have is one of the best in the tournament. And, of course, this is great support for us, and I'm confident because of that.

Q. In your first performance, you used your changeup, but not the fastball. The game plan, the pitching plan, of course this is something internal for you, but your fastball, 95, 93 miles an hour, are you going to use that against Korea?

CRISTOPHER SANCHEZ: I have a very good fastball. There is a plan for tomorrow. We have faced different teams. And yes, of course, we have a different game plan for tomorrow.

Q. You are going to face a different team, Korea. What can you do differently when you face that team?

CRISTOPHER SANCHEZ: I have never faced that team before, so I am going to attack the strike zone to put together a plan with the pitching coach and the catcher and to execute it.

Q. The Dominican lineup yesterday -- you hit 25 homers in the Majors last year as a collective. Do you remember facing a lineup like that, even a similar one, in your career in the Majors?

CRISTOPHER SANCHEZ: No, no way. I have never faced a lineup like that ever. Thank God. Thank God I haven't faced a lineup like that.

Q. Cristopher, in your years starting in the Majors, you have pitched a lot. There is a limit of 80 pitches in this phase of the tournament. What are your limits for the next performance?

CRISTOPHER SANCHEZ: Yes, we have that limitations. In the first one, there were 65. We have to take care of that. We have to pay attention. I tried to pitch as long as possible and to put some zeros on the scoreboard.

Q. I'm curious whether you watched the Korean game. Among the hitters in Korea, are there any hitters in Korea that you pay attention to?

CRISTOPHER SANCHEZ: (No answer interpreted into English.)

(FastScripts by ASAP Sports)