Phillies All-Star Cristopher Sánchez welcomes a baby boy ahead of his Game 2 NLDS start

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Cristopher Sánchez has a new job ahead of his playoff start for the Philadelphia Phillies: dad.

Sánchez and his wife welcomed a baby boy days ahead of the All-Star pitcher’s start in Game 2 of the NL Division Series against New York on Sunday.

The 27-year-old earned his first All-Star berth on the strength of a regular season that finished at 11-9 with a 3.32 ERA and his first career shutout.

The birth of his first son — “BABY CRIS,” he wrote on Instagram — well, that trumped all his professional achievements.

“I think there’s nothing that beats getting home to my kid right now,” Sánchez said Saturday through an interpreter. “I’m just spending time with him, holding him every five minutes. Just all around, being all over him. That’s just something I can’t describe right now.”

Sánchez said his son was born Monday. He captioned a photo of the boy named Cristopher with: “Our dream baby is here. Mommy and Daddy love you so much.”

Sánchez got the nod over playoff-tested veteran Aaron Nola for Sunday’s start at Citizens Bank Park on the strength of his road vs. home splits. Sánchez went 7-3 with a 2.21 ERA in 17 starts at home. He went 4-6 with a 5.02 ERA in 14 road starts.

Nola starts Game 3 in New York.

Sánchez started just one game in the 2023 playoffs, throwing 38 pitches over 2 1/3 innings in a Game 4 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL Championship Series.

His improvement this season was rewarded in June. The Phillies signed Sánchez to a $22.5 million, four-year contract extension through the 2028 season.

“It’s really amazing the steps that he’s taken, the growth that he’s had, not only physically, but mentally and emotionally,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “The slider he’s landing. Gone deep in the games. Held his composure. Has had some innings where he could have fallen apart, which he’s done in the past, and just kept fighting through it, maintaining his composure and poise. He’s just grown leaps and bounds.”

In a season full of firsts, Sánchez can’t wait for his first start as a father.

“It was the best time possible. It all happened in perfect timing. I was able to go to the hospital and meet my kid, my wife, and just spend two days with them at the hospital,” he said. “All normal to me. The next day I just came here, did my throwing program, had a bullpen session, and it’s all been just regular for me, luckily.”

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Philadelphia Phillies' Cristopher Sánchez pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies' Cristopher Sánchez pitches during the second inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies' Cristopher Sánchez speaks with members of the media ahead of Game 1 of a baseball NL Division Series against the New York Mets, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

MIAMI (AP) — A storm system that was brewing in the Gulf of Mexico earlier Saturday has strengthened into Tropical Storm Milton, with forecasters warning it could intensify into a hurricane headed to Florida next week.

Tropical Storm Milton is about 220 miles (355 kilometers) north-northeast of Veracruz, Mexico, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said in a 1:25 p.m. EST advisory.

Though no coastal watches or warnings were in effect, the hurricane center said the Florida Peninsula, the Florida Keys, Mexico's Yucatan peninsula and the northwestern Bahamas should monitor the system’s progress.

The storm is forecast to strengthen and bring the risk of life-threatening impacts to portions of Florida's West Coast next week, with hurricane and storm-surge watches likely being in effect Sunday. Parts of Florida are expected to have heavy rainfall beginning Sunday. The rainfall will bring the risk of flash, urban, and areal flooding, along with some river flooding.

“There is an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and wind impacts for portions of the west coast of the Florida Peninsula beginning late Tuesday or Wednesday. Residents in these areas should ensure they have their hurricane plan in place, follow any advice given by local officials, and check back for updates to the forecast,” the center said.

Looking further east, Leslie has strengthened into a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean but isn’t threatening land, forecasters said.

The storm was located Saturday about 725 miles (1,170 kilometers) west-southwest of the southernmost Cabo Verde Islands and had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph). There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Kirk remained a Category 4 major hurricane, and waves from the system were affecting the the Leeward Islands, Bermuda, and the Greater Antilles, forecasters said. The storm's swells were expected to spread to the East Coast of the United States, the Atlantic Coast of Canada and the Bahamas on Saturday night and Sunday.

Forecasters warned the waves could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

Kirk was expected to weaken starting Saturday, the center said.

Though there were no coastal warnings or watches in effect for Kirk, the center said those in the Azores, where swells could hit Monday, should monitor the storm's progress.

Kirk was about 975 miles (1,570 kilometers) east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (209 kph).

The storms churned in the Atlantic as rescuers in the U.S. Southeast searched for people unaccounted for after Hurricane Helene struck last week, leaving behind a trail of death and catastrophic damage.

This Satellite image provided by NOAA shows Tropical Storm Leslie, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024 in the Atlantic Ocean. (NOAA via AP)