Aníbal Sánchez’s first start in the majors since 2020 was a five-inning, 90-pitch outing in a 5-4 loss to Atlanta’s Braves in which he gave up four hits, two walks, and four earned runs.
Sánchez, 38, sat out of the 2021 season, after pitching for the Nationals the previous two of his 15 big league seasons, and he returned to Washington this winter and started his 16th in D.C. last week.
“I thought he threw the ball well. He really did. He didn’t throw as many curveballs as I thought he would throw,” Martinez said after Sánchez’s 2022 debut.