Much has been said about the fact that several high-profile MLB stars remain unsigned as Spring Training games are already underway across the league.
One of the major Scott Boras clients who was also previously without a deal inked one recently, as Cody Bellinger signed a 3-year, $80 million pact to return to the Chicago Cubs in a deal that includes opt-outs to test the market again.
Blake Snell won the 2018 Cy Young as a Tampa Bay Ray and was traded from Tampa to San Diego after the Rays fell short in the 2020 World Series.
Snell capped off his three-year stint with the Padres by absolutely dominating last season on his way to the second Cy Young of his career, putting him in rarified air among starting pitchers historically.
There's no good reason for him not to have found a home yet this off-season, and yet he's still available.
MLB Free Agency: Blake Snell
2023 Stats: 2.25 ERA with 234 strikeouts over 180 innings pitched
Possible Destinations: New York Yankees, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Angels
Elite starting pitching is the rarest commodity in baseball, and Snell's situation where he may prefer a short-term deal to re-enter the market again next year like the one Bellinger took presents a huge opportunity to teams with financial flexibility hoping to boost their rotation.
Both teams in New York have the money and the need to make sense for Snell. The Mets are in somewhat of a transition period after going all-in last season on Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer and seeing it fail spectacularly, but signing Snell could re-assert owner Steve Cohen's financial dominance over the league and give them an extra top-of-the-rotation arm with the uncertainty around incumbent ace Kodai Senga.
The Yankees, similarly, make a lot of sense as they have pushed their chips in this season by trading for Juan Soto, who is under contract this season but set to become a free agent after it.
After Gerrit Cole, the Yankee rotation features nothing but question marks, as Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes Jr. return after struggling with performance and injuries last season. The Bombers added Marcus Stroman in free agency, but he may be more of an effective innings-eater than a true difference maker at this point in his career.
Adding Snell to Cole would alleviate a lot of those questions, and give the Yanks the 1-2 punch that could carry them to the World Series if the offense improves from last season.
The Giants and Angels too make sense, as Snell is from the West Coast and would prefer to stay closer to home before making a longer term decision next year. The Giants have been in on many big free agents, and could be motivated to make the offer that finally lands them one, while the Angels have a need to placate star Mike Trout and the fan base after losing Shohei Ohtani in free agency.
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