With spring training well underway, Blake Snell is one of a strong group of MLB free agents waiting to be assigned to their next positions.
Snell appeared to be slated for a payout after winning the 2023 National League Cy Young Award after finishing 14-9 with a 2.25 ERA. The left-hander, who is only 31 years old, was a good candidate for a multi-year deal when Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani reached the free agency stage. However, that hasn’t happened. What comes next, then?
According to the most recent information on Snell, the 2018 All-Star pitcher is prepared to adjust his expectations in order to secure a position on the team before Opening Day.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post on Wednesday, “Snell is willing to do one of those (Cody) Bellinger-type deals—a short-term deal with an opt-out.” They discussed this with the (New York) Yankees, so I’m sure they’d be open to doing it with other clubs as well. It also raises the question of whether you grant Snell opt-outs beyond Year 1 if you forfeit draft picks in order to sign him.
If accurate, this creates an opportunity for teams like the Boston Red Sox that needed more pitching depth going into the summer.
With his two-year, $38.5 million contract with the Red Sox, Lucas Giolito has been
“During the offseason, we’ve been zooming with a lot of folks. According to Christopher Smith of MassLive, Red Sox manager Alex Cora confirmed Boston’s recent communication with free agent Jordan Montgomery to reporters on Monday. “I’m not going to get into specifics but yeah, it’s part of the process.”
It wouldn’t hurt to seek a southpaw given the configuration of the current all-right-handed rotation options: Giolito, Brayan Bello, Nick Pivetta, Kutter Crawford, Garrett Whitlock, and Tanner Houck. Snell has made 12 postseason appearances, including two starts in the World Series, and is one of baseball’s most powerful lefties.
the most significant addition to Boston’s pitching staff. But according to the organization, Giolito isn’t the end of the efforts to improve the rotation.
