Getty San Francisco Giants' Pitcher Blake Snell (left) and Agent Scott Boras (right)
The 2023-2024 MLB offseason unfolded in a quirky, somewhat drawn-out, and atypical manner. Overall, customary bidding wars for the many available free agents never materialized.
Something was amiss.
There was a noteworthy reluctance from some of the usual suspect deep pockets around the league to jump in early—or at all for that matter.
As spring training approached, it seemed clear there was an unspoken agenda to reel in spending and long-term commitments. That being the case, who’s stable felt the brunt of it?
That would be mega-agent and arguably the most despised figure in baseball, Scott Boras.
His star client Blake Snell not only failed to land a lucrative triple-digit payday that began with the numeral two (yes, some even predicted a three), but the reigning 2023 Cy Young Award winner remained on the market until just days before the official start of the 2024 MLB season. Snell ended up signing a two-year $62 million deal on March 18, 2024.
Even though it has the appearance of a convenient excuse, as Blake Snell struggles through a career-worst start in 2024, both Scott Boras and Blake Snell believe they know why.
‘You Have to Go to Spring Training’
Blake Snell on the biggest thing he’s learned through his struggles to start the season
“Big league spring training, you need it… You have to go to spring training. For teams, I hope teams see that. I didn’t face a big league hitter until I pitched my first game in the big…
In a case where spring training is upon a player without a deal, they have no choice but to condition themselves by any available means.
In a May 31 piece by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic titled, “Yes, Spring Training Matters,” Blake Snell explains why he did just that. Snell worked out at various “training centers” owned by Scott Boras, but in his view, it simply wasn’t enough.
“The one thing I would say is that big-league spring training, you need it. I thought I did everything I could to be ready. Even after two weeks, I’ve noticed how much better I was throwing the ball, just being here every day.”
“You have to go to spring training. I hope teams see that. I don’t know what [Jordan] Montgomery is doing, but I bet it’s tough for him. It’s not easy. I didn’t face a big-league hitter until I pitched in my first game in the big leagues this year. It’s tough. You just have nothing to go off of. You’re just kind of like, ‘Oh, let’s see what we’ve got.’ I faced 18-year-olds. It’s all excuses. But it’s the truth,” via Rosenthal.
After signing the deal with the Giants, Snell began the 2024 season with three straight losses and ended up on the injured list from April 24 to May 22 with a left adductor strain. The Giant lefty is currently 0-3 with a 10.42 ERA and yet to make it to the fifth inning in five starts.
Jordan Montgomery Concurs
Echoing a similar tone by Snell, Jordan Montgomery said, “I used to hate spring training. And now I’m like, I love spring training,” per Ken Rosenthal.
Montgomery eventually agreed to a one-year, $25 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks and had two starts in AAA before joining the big club. He was so disenchanted with his offseason experience that Scott Boras was later kicked to the curb.
Montgomery—much like Snell —is laboring to begin the 2024 campaign.
Although not struggling on the same level as Snell, after a four-inning, nine-hit, six-earned-run beatdown versus the New York Mets on May 31, 2024, Montgomery’s ERA has ballooned to 5.48 with an ERA+ of just 73.
Is the Scott Boras Influence Taking on Water?
Scott Boras’ Disaster Offseason Continues As 2023 NL Cy Young Winner Blake Snell Settles For Just A Two Year, $62M Deal With The Giants t.co/C5FPxbgkBg
The baseball world was abuzz with the ongoing saga of what was perceived to be owners no longer acquiescing to Scott Boras’ demands and tactics.
Full disclosure: The New York Yankees officially offered Scott Boras and Blake Snell five years at $150 million. But, perhaps misreading the market or expecting the usual last-minute owner cave-in and pay scenario to evolve, Boras dove back into the waters.
Now two of his high-profile clients missed what they deem a crucial step in achieving prime results. Naturally, Scott Boras was prepared to assign blame.
Per Rosenthal, Boras blames teams for not signing his clients sooner, saying clubs, “should understand it’s in the best interests of getting optimal performance to put the players through normal courses of preparation.”
Ken countered with this. “Team executives, of course, hold a different view, saying Boras’ expectations were too high; hence, the protracted discussions.”
Boras Not Taking the Changing Dynamic Well
In his Jordan Montgomery post-signing press conference back on March 18, 2024, Scott Boras accused owners of no longer having the same desire to win.
“There’s been a dramatic difference in the competitiveness and aggressiveness of owners to win,” per si.com.
Others see it as the end of excessively long contracts that will now be reserved for only the most elite talent. Arizona Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick underscores the reason why.
“We’re very cautious, we’ve learned our lesson, we’ve made a couple of long term commitments at the higher end that I think we’d have to honestly say didn’t work as well as we hoped they would, and so we were a little cautious to move into , lets call it five plus years, almost no matter who it was,” per si.com.
At this point, Boras would do well to realize the days of mid-tier guys hitting the free-agent lottery are starting to disappear in the rearview mirror.
With uncertainty in TV money for a host of franchises and volatility in many aspects of today’s world, teams are more interested in additional revenue streams and building a team emphasizing cost-effective development rather than spending lavishly.
The disaster New York Mets’ owner Steve Cohen has created for himself is a blueprint on how not to build a roster. Even the New York Yankees’ Hal Steinbrenner shared his concern over escalating dollar amounts.
“I don’t believe I should have a $300 million payroll to win a championship,” Steinbrenner told the New York Post.
The writing is definitely on the wall for Scott Boras and other agencies to heed going forward.
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Giants: Scott Boras Says MLB Owners to Blame for Blake Snell’s Woeful Start