Getty Blake Snell remains on the free-agent market. An insider detailed what needs to happen to start a potential bidding war for his services.
Once Japanese hurler Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, starting pitcher Blake Snell became the best remaining starting pitcher available via free agency. He’s still on the open market in a unique position as a two-time Cy Young Award winner at just 31 years old.
Unfortunately, not much has materialized for the Scott Boras client over the past few months. As spring training approaches, it doesn’t seem as if the southpaw is close to joining a new team for the 2024 regular season. How quickly could that change, though?
In a January 20 report for MLB.com, insider Mark Feinsand detailed the one simple thing Snell could do to potentially ignite a bidding war for his services. An American League executive predicted to him that several teams would get seriously involved if the left-hander lowered his current asking price.
What Is Blake Snell Looking for in His Next Contract?
On November 6, MLB Trade Rumors predicted Snell would sign a seven-year, $200 million contract. His agent has been rumored to be aiming much higher than that, though.
Two reports are floating around the internet regarding Snell’s asking price. Bill Maddon of the New York Daily News reported it was nine years and $270 million on January 13. Meanwhile, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale said on January 14 that Snell is looking for “at least $240 million, and now awaits to see what team blinks first.”
Both of those numbers are incredibly high, and also much more than that $200 million prediction. Yamamoto set a record for the richest pitching contract in baseball history this winter by signing a $325 million guarantee with the Dodgers. Although he hasn’t thrown a pitch in the big leagues yet, multiple squads were willing to make that investment because of his age. The right-hander will turn 26 years old on August 17.
He’s Received Only 1 Offer so Far This Winter
How much has Snell’s initial asking price scared interested teams away? So much so that the New York Yankees are the only club to submit an official contract offer.
It was a six-year, $150 million offer, per Feinsand. This proposal was quickly denied by Snell and Boras. Instead of trying to engage in a staring match and find a compromise, the Yankees immediately pivoted to signing Marcus Stroman for two years and $37 million.
The San Francisco Giants are another club that’s been linked to Snell at different points throughout the winter. His lofty asking price also motivated them to find upgrades elsewhere. Those acquisitions included trading for Robbie Ray and signing Jordan Hicks.
Snell’s current market doesn’t have a ton of clarity to it. On January 12, Nightengale said the following on X (formerly Twitter): “While the market has been publicly quiet on Cy Young winner Blake Snell, behind the scenes he still has multiple contending teams who continue to express strong interest. The free-agent market should start to pick up with spring training just 5 weeks away.”
While the market has been publicly quiet on Cy Young winner Blake Snell, behind the scenes he still has multiple contending teams who continue to express strong interest.
The free-agent market should start to pick up with spring training just 5 weeks away.
The only contending team that’s publicly emerged as a possible landing spot since this post is the Toronto Blue Jays. Nightengale noted that Toronto is “quietly monitoring” Snell’s situation.
Things have been moving quite slowly for the two-time Cy Young Award winner. But if he’s willing to back off his rumored contract demands a bit, things could heat up quickly.