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Blake Snell is now a free agent. MLB.com is keeping a close watch on the latest news and rumors surrounding the left-handed starting pitcher.
Nov. 30: Phillies ‘thought interested’ in Snell (report)
Even after re-signing right-hander Aaron Nola to a seven-year, $172 million agreement, could the Phillies still be in the market for another top-tier starter? According to MLB Network expert Jon Heyman in a post for the New York Post, the answer to that question is yes.
“The Phillies are thought interested,” Heyman wrote of Snell in his latest rundown of where things stand with the top free agents available in this year’s class.
If Philadelphia were to add the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, it would create a formidable trio in the starting rotation, with Nola, Zack Wheeler and Snell forming a threesome that could be very difficult to beat in a postseason series.
Nov. 29: Does Snell ‘desperately’ want to pitch for Mariners?
On NBC’s Thanksgiving telecast of the Seahawks-49ers game in Seattle, play-by-play broadcaster Mike Tirico suggested that Snell, a native of Seattle and the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, wants to pitch for his hometown team.
MassLive’s Chris Cotillo later posted on social media that Snell “desperately” wants to pitch for the Mariners, which came on the heels of a radio appearance by Seattle Times reporter Ryan Divish, who stated that he thinks the Mariners “are gonna sign Blake Snell because he really wants to come back, and then they’ll trade one of the young pitchers for a bat.”
Seattle has a talented group of starters—veteran Luis Castillo and youngsters George Kirby and Logan Gilbert each posted an ERA below 3.75 over at least 190 innings last season, and 2021 AL Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray could return during the first half of next season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last spring. Adding Snell to the front of their rotation could allow the Mariners to move one of the young starters for an upgrade to the lineup in their quest to surpass the Rangers and Astros in the AL West.
Nov. 29: Angels ‘very interested’ in Snell
The Angels are holding out hope that they’ll be able to re-sign Shohei Ohtani, the two-way superstar, but apparently they are also eyeing other top free agents.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner would make sense for the Angels whether they are able to bring back Ohtani or not. Even with Ohtani posting another unanimous AL MVP Award-winning season in 2023, the Angels went 73-89 and missed the postseason for the ninth straight year.
Their rotation currently includes Reid Detmers, Patrick Sandoval, Tyler Anderson, Griffin Canning, and Chase Silseth, who combined for a 4.53 ERA over 111 starts this past season. Ohtani, on the other hand, made 23 starts for the club and recorded a 3.14 ERA,
