The Major League Baseball season is just days away from beginning, but last season’s National League Cy Young winner Blake Snell is finally off the market and will be on a team before opening day. There were a number of teams who were linked with the star pitcher, but it is the San Francisco Giants who have landed the one-time all-star on a $62m, two-year contract which has an opt-out after the first season.
As one of the leading pitchers in all of baseball, Snell understandably drew plenty of interest in the off-season. However, it took until March 18th for him to be signed. The likes of the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Angels and Houston Astros were heavily rumoured to be interested in the player, but he ended up signing with the Giants after no one else was willing to offer above $30m per year.
Despite being so accomplished and among the top pitchers in the game, there have been concerns about his inconsistency and command, which may have put teams off on offering him the longer term deal he had been looking for. But the Giants get him at great value, as his $31m per year deal places him eighth in terms of Average Annual Value within starting pitchers. The franchise will hope they get another strong year out of Snell as they compete in a very strong division that includes the Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks and his former side San Diego Padres before he potentially opts to test the free agency market once again in the next off-season.
Breaking: Snell to the Giants. $62M, 2 years. Opt out.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 19, 2024
Last Season
Snell had a fantastic 2023 season as he won his second Cy Young award in his third year with the Padres. Throughout the campaign, he started in 32 games, in which he had a 14-9 record. He threw 180 innings and recorded 234 strikeouts which was the third highest in the league. His ERA of 2.25 meant he led the league in the statistic for the second time in his career, after first doing so in 2018 as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays. However, he led the league in walks, allowing 99.
He led all National League pitchers in Wins Above Replacement (WAR) at 6.0. This statistic recognises the value a player has to his team, and measures how many more wins he is worth than a replacement-level player in the same position, whether this be someone promoted from the minor leagues, or a free agent acquisition. Only Gerrit Cole of the Yankees had a higher WAR (7.5) within pitchers in the majors.
Following such a successful campaign, Snell decided to explore free agency. He declined a $20.25m qualifying offer from the Padres in order to test the market, though the process took a lot longer than expected.
Snell's fit in the Giants Rotation
Now that Snell is a member of the Giants, he joins a pitching rotation that can be amongst the best in the majors. They are in a division that features a Dodgers line-up of Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts, so it is imperative they construct a strong enough roster to compete, particularly on the mound.
Snell is a dominant pitcher who does not give up many home runs, last year he allowed 15, which was bettered by just four qualified players. He is also very durable and has been reliable health wise since his rookie season in 2016. He has not started less than 23 games in a year since, except the shortened campaign in 2020.
It is expected that Snell will slot in at number two in the rotation, with Logan Webb the team’s ace. At full strength, behind him should be Alex Cobb, Kyle Harrison and Robbie Ray, with Jordan Hicks another top option as well. Ray and Hicks are also new additions to the pitching staff. In acquiring both Snell and Ray, the Giants became the sixth team, and first since 2017, to sign two Cy Young winners in the same off-season, signalling the strength they are adding to the rotation.
Last season, the Giants starting rotation had a collective ERA of 4.02, which had them 11th in the league. Despite this, they did allow an opponent batting average of 2.53, which was 23rd best. However, the rotation now looks a lot different, with only Webb and Cobb remaining from opening day last year. Webb enjoyed a great campaign, finishing runner up to Snell for the Cy Young award. In 33 starts, he pitched a 3.25 ERA, which was the 10th best in the majors.
Following the end of the season, Cobb immediately underwent hip surgery which will likely keep him out until around the all-star break. Once they get him back though, they will be adding an all-star to their side. Similarly, Ray is expected to miss the beginning of the campaign, but will be an excellent option once he returns. Harrison was a rookie in 2023, and made seven starts, producing some impressive displays. In just his second game, the 22-year old struck out 11 hitters in 6 1/3 scoreless innings.
Hicks will become a starter having been used mostly as a reliever throughout his six-year career. With the Blue Jays last season, he had a career year, pitching a 3.29 ERA, and recording a 28.4% strikeout rate.
Giants off-season
After a slow start to the off-season, the Giants have made some big acquisitions that should make them a big threat in the NL West. The latest pick-up of Snell greatly boosts the starting rotation, but prior to this move, they had already welcomed a number of new additions including third baseman Matt Chapman, outfielders Jung Hoo Lee and George Soler and catcher Tom Murphy.
The last time the Giants made the post-season was in 2021, the only time they have made it in the last seven years. They were eliminated in the Division Series that year, and have only recorded one winning season in this period. However, with the big splashes they have made in free agency and the trade market, the franchise and its fans will be optimistic of playing baseball come October.