Giants Sign Reigning NL Cy-Young Award Winner Blake Snell
San Francisco, CA (PSF) — Once again, the San Francisco Giants have taken advantage of the strange 2023-2024 Boras-client free-agent market.
On Friday Evening, MLB Network and New York Post’s Jon Heyman broke the news that 2023 NL-Cy Young Winner Blake Snell and the San Francisco Giants were in agreement on a two-year deal.
It’s another pillow deal for a Scott Boras Client, who has had trouble navigating the unusual free agency market this offseason and has had to settle for 3 pillow deals for his three biggest clients who’ve signed this offseason (Snell, Chapman, and Bellinger).
Snell will be making $15 million for the 2024 season, with a $17 million signing bonus that is deferred until 2026. It’s seemingly a backloaded contract, given that the Giants were approaching the luxury tax and likely offered the deal in the interest of keeping the 2024 salary as minimal as possible.
This is not the deal many expected for an ace-caliber pitcher in his prime, coming off a Cy Young award, and being a Boras Client. Snell entered the offseason seeking a long-term contract that paid him $200 million plus, but did not find that type of market waiting for him. The Yankees were the team that got closest to that demand, as Snell had negotiated with the New York Yankees previously and received a $150 million, 5-year offer from the Yankees in January, however, Snell turned the offer down seeking a higher annual salary.
Again, the market did not materialize the way Snell thought, and the possibility of a short-term, high-average deal became likelier and likelier with each passing day. With the Yankees ending their pursuit of Snell, the Angels and Giants were the primary suitors who remained, along with the Astros, who made a late push to sign him. Ultimately, the Astros “balked” at Snell’s 2-year, $66 million, with a 2024 opt-out asking price, and the Giants offered the winning deal at 2 years, $62 million with that desired opt-out.
It was a turbulent, unusual free agency for Snell, who now has just 9 days until March 29th — his presumed rotation slot day with the Giants following Opening Day starter Logan Webb. Whether he will be game-ready remains to be seen, but Snell did just throw 4 innings in a simulated game earlier this week, potentially indicating that he could be ready for game action. This will remain to be seen until the Giants and Manager Bob Melvin give us clarity about this situation.
Snell, 31, is one of just seven pitchers ever to win a Cy Young in both leagues, as he won the AL -Cy Young with the Tampa Bay Rays (2018) and the NL Cy Young with the Padres (2023).
He is a one-time All-Star (2018) and led the league in both Wins (21) and Earned Run Average (1.89) during that year. He has sported the lowest league-wide ERA in both Cy Young years.
In 2023, he posted a 14-9 record with a 2.25 ERA, with 234 strikeouts in 180 innings en route to the NL Cy Young. He was third in the MLB with those 234 strikeouts, trailing only Atlanta’s Spencer Strider (281) and Toronto’s Kevin Gausman (237). He allowed just 115 hits and 15 home runs in those 180 innings, translating to an elite 5.8 hits per 9 innings.
For his 8-year MLB career, Snell owns a career 71-55 record with a 3.20 ERA and 1,223 strikeouts in 992.2 career innings, which translates to 21.3 career wins above replacement (WAR).
There are a few question marks with Snell, mainly with durability and command. The two seasons (3, if you count 2020) that Snell pitched the full year resulted in fantastic results, with 2 Cy Young Awards and a World Series berth in 2020, but in the 5 other seasons, Snell dealt with a plethora of injury issues, never eclipsing more than 129.1 innings.
Part of the reason for the low inning count can also be attributed to the struggles with command. Although command was never Snell’s strong suit, Snell led the MLB in walks as a starting pitcher in 2023 with 99. He was first in the MLB with 4.95 walks per 9 innings, and third in the MLB with 17.6 pitches per inning, but excelled at stranding runners. This has led to the question surrounding Snell’s ability to pitch late into games.
Ultimately, Snell’s four-pitch repertoire which includes an elite fastball, curveball, slider, and changeup offsets the control questions. His ability to miss bats is already elite, and pitching in a pitcher’s ballpark he has had success in (1.59 ERA in 22 IP at Oracle Park) should translate to positive results. Additionally, the Giants have been highly regarded with their ability to help pitchers reach their full potential, and their coaching staff may be able to help Snell refine his command, even at this stage in his career.
Overall, the Giants are clear winners in this deal, acquiring the services of an elite pitcher, and forming a 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation with the #1 and #2 finishers in NL Cy Young Voting (Snell & Webb). Snell is a winner as well, getting a reasonable salary this year, a chance to reenter the market next year, and possibly competing for a playoff spot on a vastly improved Giants team.
