Blake Snell is a free agent once again, the two-time Cy Young winner available to the highest bidder for the second time in nine months.
Snell opted out of the contract he signed with the San Francisco Giants just weeks before opening day, finishing the season on an absolute tear after a rough start with his new team - tossing a no-hitter along the way.
Snell is back on the market and is widely expected to finally receive the sort of multiyear deal that never materialized for the lefty last winter.
Here's a look at some of the best fits for Snell - who turns 32 in December - including two possible reunions:
They're not (ever?) going to get a big-time free agent hitter to play at Oracle Park, so the Giants might as well just keep pursuing the top pitchers. Snell fell into their laps last spring and rounded into form as the season went on, going 10-2 with a 1.35 ERA in his last 16 starts, ultimately resulting in his opting out. The familiarity is there so why not just bring him back?
Los Angeles Dodgers
Why not? Shohei Ohtani deferred 97% of his $700 million deal for this very reason, giving the Dodgers financial flexibility to recruit top free agents. There's certainly some variables here (will they sign Roki Sasaki?), but the two-time Cy Young winner would slot right into a Dodgers rotation that has major injury concerns surrounding Tyler Glasnow and Ohtani coming back from a second Tommy John surgery, as well as the possible departures of Walker Buehler and Jack Flaherty.
New York Mets
The NL runners-up desperately need pitching with Luis Severino, Sean Manaea and Jose Quintana all free agents and owner Steve Cohen is expected to do some shopping at the top of this year's class. Despite his two Cy Young awards, Snell would be a pretty boom-or-bust signing for the Mets, who are trying to build something sustainable and may prefer the consistency of Burnes if they're going to go for an ace.
San Diego Padres
Should all parties just run it back? Snell had a 3.15 ERA in three seasons with the Padres after a trade from the Rays, winning the 2023 Cy Young award in his final year with San Diego. With Joe Musgrove out for the year after Tommy John surgery, the Padres should probably add a higher-tier starter. But the kind of long-term deal that Snell desires may not be something San Diego wants to get involved in - just like last winter.
Los Angeles Angels
The Angels got the 2024-25 hot stove going with some smaller moves, a trade for Jorge Soler and the additions of free agents Kyle Hendricks and Travis d'Arnaud in the weeks since the World Series. Those transactions don't necessarily indicate that Arte Moreno's club will spend big bucks to improve one of the worst teams in baseball, but they can't be counted out considering their flirtation with Snell last winter.
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