Blake Snells The second attempt at free agency went much better than his first. The left-hander has agreed to a five-year contract worth $182 million with the club Los Angeles DodgersCBS Sports headquarters has confirmed. Snell's deal includes a $52 million signing bonus and some deferred money. according to the Los Angeles Times. The team has not yet confirmed the signing (although Snell posted a picture of himself in a Dodgers jersey). Instagram) and the contract is still pending.
Last offseason, Snell settled for a two-year, $62 million contract San Francisco Giants although he won his second Cy Young Award in 2023. He was a good pitcher overall for San Francisco and was particularly good in the second half. Snell then used an opt-out to re-enter free agency and was able to complete the multi-year deal he was unable to complete last winter.
Our RJ Anderson ranked Snell as the fourth-best free agent available this offseasonand the second-best free agent starter behind them Corbin Burnes. Here is his report:
Snell bounced back from a shortened spring training and two early stints on the injured list to post the fourth-best ERA+ of his career. That doesn't sound impressive at first glance, but consider the circumstances and remember that he is a two-time Cy Young Award winner. Snell still has the same basic profile as he did this time last year when he made his first foray into free agency: He has elite batting skills, but some teams will scoff at his inefficiency. Good enough, we think. Snell still continues to produce year after year.
Snell, 32, finished 2024 with a 3.12 ERA and 145 strikeouts in 20 starts and 104 innings for the Giants. He missed time in the first half with two groin strains. Snell returned from his second injury on July 9 and posted a 1.23 ERA in his final 12 starts. That includes an 11-strikeout no-hitter against them Cincinnati Reds on August 2nd.
There are times when watching Snell can be a chore because he walks so many batters and takes a lot of deep counts, despite being one of the best strikeout pitchers in the sport, and when it's his turn , Snell is as good as anyone at the game. In 30 second-half starts over the last two seasons, Snell posted a 1.30 ERA and held opponents to a .456 OPS.
With the world champion Dodgers, Snell joins a potentially deep rotation, but is also fraught with uncertainty. National League MVP Shohei Ohtani will resume pitching duties in 2025 but is coming off elbow and shoulder procedures. Yoshinobu Yamamoto was limited to just 18 starts in his first MLB season due to a rotator cuff strain and triceps problem. Tyler GlasnowSnell's former Rays teammate is no stranger to injury problems. The right-hander was unable to throw after August 11 due to tendinitis in his throwing arm. Elsewhere, Tony Gonsolin And Dustin May In 2025, they will return from their own Tommy John procedures.
Last season, manager Dave Roberts was forced to navigate the postseason with just three healthy starting players, which he did brilliantly, of course. As the Dodgers look to repeat in 2025, they are once again increasing their rotation depth. Recent history suggests they will need all that depth.
When healthy, a Dodger rotation that now includes Snell offers ace-like potential in almost every slot. LA's lineup has long been known for having tons of star power, and now that Snell is in it and Ohtani is on the field for the first time as a Dodger, the same can be said about the rotation.
Looking ahead, the Dodgers are heavily linked to two of the top free agents on the market – outfielder Juan Soto and right-hander Roki Sasaki, who is expected to be used and make the jump from Japan. Also two Dodger lifers, future Hall of Famers Clayton Kershaw and experienced right-hander Walker Buhlerremain on the free agent market. It's unclear what the nine-figure investment in Snell means for any of these opportunities.
