ESPN Insider Reveals Angels as ‘Preference’ for Projected $144 Million Pitcher

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Blake Snell pitching during his 2023 Cy Young Award winning season.

The Los Angeles Angels saw their superstar pitcher, and hitter, Shohei Ohtani leave for the Los Angeles Dodgers in free agency earlier this offseason. However, the Angels could land a replacement for their ace as they are viewed as the “preference” for superstar pitcher Blake Snell, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney.

“I’m hearing that Blake Snell’s preference — strong preference — is to go to the Angels,” Olney said during the Baseball Tonight podcast on March 8. “There’s been back-and-forth with that team. That’s where I think he’s going to land.”

Snell is a two-time Cy Young Award winner projected to earn a six-year, $144 million contract in free agency.

Blake Snell’s Free Agent Market

Snell was dominant on the mound in 2023 with a 2.25 ERA en route to his second career Cy Young Award. Snell also won the Cy Young Award in 2018 and is rightfully looking to cash in on the open market. Snell’s last contract was a five-year, $50 million contract he signed with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2019 before ultimately being traded to the San Diego Padres.

Opening day is approaching quickly, and the chances of reaching a long-term deal at this point are becoming slim. A one-year deal is a “likelihood” at this point, according to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman in a March 6 appearance on MLB Network.

Scott Boras, Snell’s agent, has informed teams that the star pitcher is open to a short-term contract with opt-outs, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Matt Chapman’s deal with the San Francisco Giants and Cody Bellingers’s deal with the Chicago Cubs took that route.

While Olney views the Angels as the preferred landing spot for Snell, other teams have been linked to the left-hander. The Yankees and Giants are both also possible landing spots, according to Heyman. However, Snell finds Southern California appealing and may ultimately be taking the mound for the Angels when the season starts, according to Olney on the Willard and Dibs podcast on March 7.

“Southern California apparently appeals to him,” said Olney. “The Angels have been in negotiations with him, and we’ll see where it goes from here. But if I’m sitting here today and had to guess, that’s the team he’s gonna sign with.”

Blake Snell Could Significantly Help the Angels’ Rotation

Snell posted the second-lowest ERA of his career. He posted a 1.89 ERA in 2018 when he won his first Cy Young Award. The Angels rotation is currently projected to be led by 24-year-old Reid Detmers. Detmers is slated to be followed by Griffin Canning, Chase Silseth, Pablo Sandoval and Tyler Anderson.

The group of projected starters made a combined 111 starts in 2023 with a 4.46 ERA. While the group has experience as starters, Anderson, 33, has made the most career starts with 164 over his eight seasons in the majors. Snell would immediately be the most experienced starter with 191 starts.

The Angels ranked No.23 in the MLB for team ERA, even with Shohei Ohtani making 23 starts. Snell would give the Angels a true ace to lead the rotation in 2024. The team has not made the postseason since 2014 and has not won a postseason game since 2009. Adding Snell would give the Angels a chance to break their postseason drought.