The teams involved in the ongoing Blake Snell sweepstakes seems to be thinning by the day. In fact, one team who has already sent a contract offer to the 2023 NL Cy Young award winner doesn't appear interested in his services any longer — at least, not at the price Snell is seeking.
According to a recent article from Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the New York Yankees have made a free agency offer to Blake Snell's camp in recent days. However, Heyman notes that, "the sides were very far apart, so far it didn't look like to them like there was any chance for a quick deal with Snell."
This is an interesting development for the Snell sweepstakes, for multiple reasons; one being that Snell recently made it known that he would be interested in playing for the Yankees. Yet, the two parties not seeing eye to eye in terms of Snell's asking price seems to have produced a domino effect for the Yankees' offseason strategy.
Last night, it was announced that Yankees GM Brian Cashman signed two-time All Star Marcus Stroman to a two-year, $37 million deal. Considering the years of tension between Stroman and the Yankees organization, it must have taken a lot for Cashman and Co. to go against their initial rejection of the right-handed pitcher.
In other words, the Yankees seem to have pursued Stroman only after they realized signing Snell was probably not going to happen. So with Stroman now signed, the Yankees are, according to Heyman, "done or close to done with their rotation."
Which begs the question: which teams are still seeking Snell's services?
Well, we know the Los Angeles Angels are still interested in him. After losing Shohei Ohtahi to the Dodgers, the Angels now lack a bonafide ace; and Angels GM Perry Minasian (who is entering the final year of his contract with the organization) has made it clear that he intends to be aggressive this offseason. Signing Snell would hopefully ease some of the sting Angels fans are feeling after Ohtani signed with their cross-town rival.
The San Francisco Giants are also rumored to be pursuing Snell after losing out on Yoshinobu Yamamoto to their arch-nemesis. In addition to these two squads, teams like the New York Mets, the Seattle Mariners, and the San Diego Padres all appear to be in play for Snell.
So while the Yankees may be out on the 2023 NL Cy Young, some other team is surely willing to pay Snell his desired price.
