Getty Starting pitcher Blake Snell is still without a home for the 2024 season. Could the Houston Astros be getting ready to make a splash?
It’s hard to have a better contract year on the mound than Blake Snell did with the San Diego Padres in 2023. He posted a 14-9 record with a 2.25 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 234 strikeouts in 180 innings while winning his second career Cy Young Award. But with Opening Day three weeks away, the southpaw still doesn’t have a home for 2024. Could the Seattle Mariners swoop in to make a big splash?
That’s what a rival thinks they should do, according to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman. In a March 7 report, Heyman discussed which teams could still make sense for Snell and fellow free-agent southpaw Jordan Montgomery. Of the five teams he mentioned, the Mariners were third on the list. “He wants to be there. Sign him,” they said to Heyman.
Spotrac has pegged Snell’s annual market value at $23.9 million. They also projected a six-year, $143 million contract for him. MLB Trade Rumors predicted a seven-year, $200 million deal on November 6. Despite that, agent Scott Boras was looking for nine years and $270 million on the open market. No teams were willing to come close to that. Snell is now having to consider a short-term deal with multiple opt-outs like Cody Bellinger and Matt Chapman recently signed.
The Snell-Mariners Link Goes Back to the Start of Winter
Seattle has been linked to Snell at different times throughout the offseason. It first began on November 27 when NBC’s NFL play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico mentioned it on a broadcast.
“Blake Snell won his second Cy Young Award a few weeks ago. He did it pitching for the Padres, he’s a free agent now, he wants to pitch for the Mariners,” he said.
Mike Tirico just said Blake Snell wants to pitch for the #Mariners 🙃
Another report on January 24 from The Athletic’s Jim Bowden made it seem like the Mariners were actively trying to make room for the Seattle native. “The Mariners continue to listen to trade proposals for pitchers in their starting rotation since the return in this market would be inflated…then consider signing Blake Snell to upgrade the top of the rotation,” he said on X (formerly Twitter).
However, the only thing the Mariners have done with their 2024 rotation is subtract from it. Robbie Ray was traded to the San Francisco Giants and Marco Gonzales to the Atlanta Braves. According to FanGraphs’ Roster Resource, the Opening Day rotation consists of Luis Castillo, Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo.
Are These 2 Teams the Most Logical Landing Spots?
While the Mariners make sense for Snell, they’re not one of the squads many expect to actually sign the southpaw. During a live stream for Bleacher Report, Heyman suggests that San Francisco or the Los Angeles Angels are the most likely landing spots.
He also noted that things could change for certain teams as injuries happen throughout the remainder of spring training.
After signing Chapman, Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said their offseason was done regarding major acquisitions. If the team does anything ahead of Opening Day, he suggested a potential trade from their infield surplus (with J.D. Davis as a prime candidate).
As for the Angels, they could certainly use Snell in their rotation. It probably depends on how team owner Arte Moreno is feeling on a particular day, though. During a January 30 edition of The Baseball Insiders Podcast, FanSided’s Robert Murray shared thoughts on the situation.
“It all depends on how Arte Moreno wakes up that day. He’s as unpredictable as they come. But as of right now, a big move is unlikely,” Murray said. “I think they continue to still add to that roster for sure. I just don’t expect it to be a big move. Maybe like a J.D. Martinez type is possible. Maybe. I don’t know. But like a Blake Snell or Cody Bellinger I think at least at this point is unlikely.”
A lot of time has passed since that report. The situation has also changed with Snell being open to a short-term deal. However, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what the Angels are doing on the acquisition front at times.