The San Diego Padres are not thinking about the offseason right now.
San Diego is one win away from the NLCS. The Padres have had a glorious season so far, and a victory Friday over the loaded Los Angeles Dodgers would bring San Diego face-to-face with the New York Mets with a World Series berth at stake.
Whenever the Padres’ run does end, however, their front office will be motivated to keep contention alive heading into 2025 and beyond. One way San Diego could stay near the top of the competitive ladder is to add one of the best starting pitchers in the game to their rotation.
Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer ranked San Francisco Giants ace Blake Snell the No. 2 available starter on the free agent market behind only Corbin Burnes.
Rymer also listed the Padres as a fit for Snell, who played for San Diego between 2021 and 2023, winning an NL Cy Young in 2023.
“Blake Snell ostensibly signed a two-year, $62 million deal with the Giants last winter,” Rymer said. “But at least from his perspective, it was only ever meant to be a one-year arrangement.”
“This will indeed be the case, as Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported in September that Snell will be exercising his opt-out clause. And who can blame him?”
“Through the first three months of 2024, Snell was sitting on a 9.51 ERA and had already been on the injured list twice. But then came July 9, when he began a 14-start run that resulted in a 1.23 ERA and 114 strikeouts in 80.1 innings.”
“The risks of signing Snell aren't any less obvious than they were last winter. He can be erratic even when he's pitching well, and it's not uncommon for him to not show up until the second half. He also turns 32 on December 4.”
“Still, it's about time the guy got his due as a legitimate ace. In contract form, that should be a multi-year deal in the $150-200 million range.”
Re-acquiring Snell could be a power play for the Padres, especially after such a successful season.
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