Getty Blake Snell won the Cy Young with the San Diego Padres before hitting free agency in 2023
The New York Yankees have had a busy offseason and addressed many of the roster issues that led to a disappointing 2023 campaign. But they have yet to bring in a true ace to complement Gerrit Cole at the top of their rotation.
However, that could soon change as USA Today MLB columnist Gabe Lacques expects the team to raise its offer for reigning NL Cy Young winner Blake Snell.
“Snell swallows some pride and the Yankees sweeten their offer just a bit to create enviable, if unpredicted, rotation depth,” Lacques predicted.
The New York Yankees Have Made an Offer to Blake Snell
The Yankees have been tied to Snell for much of the offseason, with MLB insider Bob Nightengale reporting that the team has presented Snell with his only offer so far: a six-year, $150 million deal. According to that report, Snell is looking for something closer to $270 million over nine years.
The Yankees may be worried about making such a significant commitment for a starting pitcher, given how their six-year, $162 million deal with Carlos Rodon has been stymied by his injuries. Though Snell has now won two Cy Young awards in a stellar career, he is not seen as particularly durable or dependable for a large volume of innings.
But Yankees fans and even some current players have been pushing the front office to add Snell, whatever the cost. Lacques’ colleague, Scott Boeck, noted that adding the southpaw to a rotation led by Cole is just too tempting of an opportunity for New York to resist.
“Pairing Snell with Gerrit Cole, two reigning Cy Young Award winners, creates a historic one-two punch for the Bronx Bombers, who are all in this upcoming season,” Boeck wrote.
What Other Teams Are Competing With the New York Yankees to Add Blake Snell?
Though Lacques believes the Yankees and Snell will find a compromise somewhere in their negotiations, other insiders speculate that he will ultimately find a better deal elsewhere.
Writing alongside Lacques and Boeck, Nightengale and USA Today MLB editor Jesse Yomtov both predicted he will head to the Los Angeles Angels.
“The Angels were aggressive early saying how much they want him, and are now just waiting for his price-tag to dip below $200 million to seal the deal,” Nightingale reported.
“It doesn’t feel like there’s a perfect fit out there for Snell and the Angels’ payroll is projected (to be) about $150 million for 2024, giving the perpetually-rudderless organization plenty of room to sign the market’s top pitcher,” Yomtov added.
Finally, USA Today sports reporter Steve Gardner was the lone analyst among the bunch to project that Snell would remain in the National League, predicting that the San Francisco Giants would ultimately bring him on.
“They have a serious need for another top starter to pair with Logan Webb,” Gardner reported.
If the Yankees do raise their offer as Lacques expects, it seems like he might choose New York over any other destination. The southpaw indicated his interest in joining the team weeks ago. It seems that if he is willing to lower his asking price, his team of choice can meet it.