This is Blake Snell’s second time hitting free agency in as many years, and he hopes the process goes more smoothly than it did the year before. As you may remember, despite winning an NL Cy Young Award, Snell remained available to free agents until March 2024. The San Francisco Giants stepped up and signed him to a contract with an opt-out after the first year.
Initially, it appeared that the teams’ choice to avoid the Snell sweepstakes would be validated because he had a terrible start to the 2024 season. He pitched at a Cy Young level again after recovering from an injury in July, though, and is now returning to free agency with his value even more assured.
According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, and New York Mets are three possible suitors for the 31-year-old southpaw, suggesting that three of MLB’s most expensive teams may try to acquire Snell. But in the Snell sweepstakes, those teams will be up against much than just themselves. The Giants, Snell’s most recent squad, and three AL East teams that are short on pitchers—the Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, and Toronto Blue Jays—will join those three spending giants.
It’s uncertain, though, if those teams will contribute enough cash to allow Snell to find a home at a relatively early stage of free agency. Given that Snell is 32 years old and has a history of inconsistent performance, there are legitimate worries about his long-term viability.
Blake Snell free agency sweepstakes, part two
This year, will there be enough interest in Blake Snell’s free agency to guarantee that he won’t be unemployed until March? Maybe. After all the issues their starting rotation faced before the postseason and even during the playoffs, the Dodgers in particular stand out as a team that may make an impact in the pitching area.