Is the long national nightmare that is starting pitcher Blake Snell's free agency finally coming to a merciful end? It's quite possible, and with MLB's Opening Day less than three weeks away, it's about time.
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The southpaw hurler has been the top pitcher on the open market since the Los Angeles Dodgers signed Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a 12-year, $325 million deal at the end of December. Snell's market hasn't formed as agent Scott Boras hoped it would. His asking price of nine years and $270 million for his client probably didn't help.
Snell, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, has reportedly been open to a short-term deal with a high yearly salary and opt-outs available so he can re-test free agency if he wants to in the future. Which teams would be willing to do that right now? The two squads most connected to Snell lately include the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Angels.
According to Buster Olney on ESPN's Baseball Tonight podcast, Snell's preference is to sign with the Angels. "I'm hearing that Blake Snell's preference — strong preference — is to go to the Angels," he said. "There's been back-and-forth with that team. That's where I think he's going to land."
Snell posted a cryptic story on Instagram on March 10, making people think he's on the verge of signing:
Brace yourselves pic.twitter.com/n0st4HRPNV
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) March 10, 2024
The Angels could certainly use some help in their rotation. They've lost Ohtani's 2023 production on the mound and haven't done anything to replace it. FanGraphs' Roster Resource lists L.A.'s Opening Day starting staff as Reid Detmers, Griffin Canning, Patrick Sandoval, Tyler Anderson and Chase Silseth. Projections have this group being among baseball's least productive.
Adding Snell would immediately give them an ace for the staff, as well as a boost to their hopes of competing for an American League Wild Card spot. In 180 innings for the San Diego Padres last year, the left-hander went 14-9 with a 2.25 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 234 strikeouts.
