As spring training gets underway in less than three weeks, Blake Snell is still unsigned.
Less than three weeks separate us from spring training, and many of the best free agents are still unsigned. Blake Snell, the two-time Cy Young winner, could have easily signed a new deal and averted this uncertain future, though.
“Blake Snell’s lone offer was a six-year, $150 million deal from the New York Yankees after Snell requested $270 million over nine years,” Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY writes in an article that was published on January 27.
Snell, 31, just finished his second Cy Young award-winning season with the San Diego Padres, posting a 2.25 ERA and 234 strikeouts in 180 innings.
It is surprising that the left-hander, who has a career 3.20 ERA and 11.1 K/9, is still unsigned this far into the offseason. However, his inconsistent play, his innings pitched per outing, and his cost are the main causes.
First of all, Scott Boras represents Snell, and Boras typically presses hard for his clients. This seems to be the case in this instance as well, since Snell currently has no other offers and the Yankees’ offer is only $120 million and three years. Two, despite his dominance, Snell only pitches five or more innings per start (averaging 150 innings in two career stints), and he has three seasons with an ERA of or higher on his record.
General manager Brian Cashman signed ground-ball hitter Marcus Stroman for $37 million over two years, with an option to earn $55 million over three years if Stroman logs 140 innings in 2025, around the same time the Yankees’ offer to Snell leaked, according to Nightengale.
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