Blake Snell's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

Free-agent left-hander Blake Snell is signing a two-year deal worth $62 million with the San Francisco Giants on Monday. The deal includes an opt-out clause for the reigning National League Cy Young winner. The 31-year-old southpaw was asking for a lot on the open market coming off his second Cy Young in eight big-league seasons. He went 14-9 with a league-best 2.25 ERA (3.44 FIP) and 1.19 WHIP with a career-high 234 strikeouts in 180 innings over 32 starts for the San Diego Padres, but Snell also led the league with 99 walks and 5.8 hits per nine innings allowed, which means he was pretty fortunate to lead the league in ERA in 2023. He will stay in the NL West and move to an even more pitcher-friendly ballpark, but his lack of control and durability issues point to regression in 2024 as a No. 2 fantasy starter. Snell also has a history of starting slow, which could be exacerbated this year due to his late signing with only 10 days until Opening Day.

Updating a previous report, the Houston Astros are engaged in a serious pursuit of free-agent left-hander Blake Snell, according to sources briefed on their discussions. The 31-year-old southpaw is the best starter on the market and is believed to be seeking the same type of contract recently signed by two other Scott Boras clients -- Cody Bellinger and Matt Chapman -- a three-year deal with two opt-outs. The Astros' need for starting pitchers is pretty great with Justin Verlander (shoulder) set to start the year on the injured list and Lance McCullers Jr. and Luis Garcia still recovering from elbow surgeries. Jose Urquidy injured his elbow on Friday, too. MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reported that Snell threw four simulated innings on Friday in Seattle in front of scouts from teams that included the Giants and Astros, according to a source. Those in attendance were impressed by how ready Snell looks.

The Houston Astros have remained engaged in the starting pitching market, according to multiple people with knowledge of the team's plans, and it stands to reason that free-agent left-hander Blake Snell may emerge as their top target. "As I've said multiple times, we always have our foot on the gas when it comes to winning and acquiring pitching," general manager Dana Brown said. "As long as Snell is on the market, we check in to ask what is the latest. Nothing new as of now." Adding another starting pitcher would help Houston's rotation, which won't have Justin Verlander (shoulder) for the start of the year. Snell made 32 starts for the San Diego Padres in 2023 and had a major-league-low 2.25 ERA to carry him to his second Cy Young award. However, he also issued a league-high 99 walks, which is part of the reason he remains unsigned.

Free-agent left-hander Blake Snell has a "strong preference" to join the Los Angeles Angels, according to ESPN's Buster Olney. "I'm hearing that Blake Snell's preference -- strong preference -- is to go to the Angels," Olney said during Thursday's edition of the Baseball Tonight podcast. "There [has] been back-and-forth with that team. That's where I think he's going to land," he added. The Angels could use a stalwart atop their rotation as the top five currently consists of Reid Detmers, Patrick Sandoval, Tyler Anderson, Griffin Canning, and Chase Silseth. Snell took home his second career Cy Young Award in 2023 as he worked to an MLB-best 2.25 ERA across 32 starts, although his control remained an issue as he paced the league with 99 walks a season ago.

The Houston Astros are not going to sign free-agent left-hander Blake Snell, according to general manager Dana Brown. Speculation about the club signing Snell due to the fact Justin Verlander is set to start the season on the injured list increased but Brown threw water on the fire on that notion. "We might add something later (around the trade deadline), but right now I think our team's built to win and we're ready to go," Brown said on Saturday. "I don't envision, like, going out and signing Snell. But would I love to have him? Yeah." Snell, the 2023 NL Cy Young winner, remains unsigned just weeks before the 2024 regular season kicks off. The San Francisco Giants are the front-runners to land the two-time Cy Young winner while the Yankees have an offer on the table for the southpaw.