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At long last, the reigning National League Cy Young winner has found a new home.
Veteran left-hander Blake Snell has signed a two-year, $62 million deal with the San Francisco Giants. MLB Network insider Jon Heyman was the first to report the news on March 18, adding that the deal also includes an opt-out clause after the 2024 season.
The team has not yet confirmed the signing, but Snell has seemingly confirmed the news on Instagram with a photo of him in a Giants uniform.
After a long, uncertain offseason, Snell joins the Giants just 10 days before Opening Day. The signing brings an end to Snell’s lengthy stint on the free-agent market as his agent, Scott Boras, looked to secure him a lucrative, multi-year contract.
The late signing puts into question whether Snell will have enough time to train and be part of San Francisco’s starting rotation to start the regular season.
Scott Boras Faces Ridicule for Failing to Get Snell a Long-Term Deal
The fact that Snell remained unsigned for this long is somewhat puzzling, considering he is coming off a resurgent 2023 season that saw him secure his second career Cy Young Award. The longer Snell remained a free agent, the more critics began to point fingers at Boras.
Former MLB outfielder Gary Sheffield Jr. was among the many vocal critics who took to social media to express their disapproval of Boras’ handling of Snell’s contract negotiations.
“Blake Snell went from wanting $200M+ to asking for a 2-year deal at $66M with an opt out after 2024?” Sheffield said in a post on X. “So essentially he went from a 7-8 year ask down to a 1-year ‘I’ll opt out if I pitch well’ contract? Nice work, Mr. Boras. A true masterclass.”
Per multiple reports, the Houston Astros, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels were among the teams that had expressed serious interest in Snell; however, Boras’ high asking price raised luxury tax concerns that ultimately made a long-term deal unattainable. The Giants held their ground to a short-term contract but were able to meet Boras’ demand for $31 million AAV.
Can Blake Snell Maintain His Cy Young Form?
Snell is coming off a career 2023 season, his third with the San Diego Padres. He posted an NL-best 2.25 ERA alongside a 1.189 WHIP with 234 strikeouts in 180 innings pitched, and his 5.9 hits allowed per nine innings was the best in the National League.
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Blake Snell, San Diego Padres
As dominant as Snell was last season, though, his body of work does raise some concerns about inconsistency. He led all MLB pitchers with 99 walks last season and struggled to pitch deep into games, averaging just 5.3 innings per start over the last three years.
Snell’s 2.25 ERA last season was his best since his previous Cy Young season, which came with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018; that year, he posted an American League-best 1.89 ERA. In between his Cy Young awards, however, he posted two seasons with an ERA over 4.00 — 4.29 in 2019 and 4.20 in 2021.
Snell Signing Completes Busy Offseason for Giants
Despite his inconsistencies, Snell has a tremendously high upside that ultimately made him one of the top free agents on the market this offseason. He is the latest of several big names to join the Giants this offseason as the team looks to add star power and become a playoff contender.
The Giants added a new center fielder and leadoff hitter in Jung Hoo Lee, who signed a six-year, $113 million deal in December, then proceeded to sign Jorge Soler t0 a three-year, $42 million deal in February.
They also traded for former Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray and signed right-handed flamethrower Jordan Hicks to a four-year contract.
San Francisco’s biggest move occurred earlier this month when they signed outfielder Matt Chapman — another Boras client — to a three-year, $54 million deal which includes two opt-outs. Snell is the latest high-profile addition made by the Giants, who are aiming to reach the postseason for the first time since 2021.
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