The San Diego Padres were eliminated by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series. They could look to upgrade the starting rotation this offseason.
While listing free agents the Padres should sign, FanSided's Zach Pressnell urged the team to reunite with Blake Snell after he opts out of his deal.
"The top talent that the Padres should pursue, if Juan Soto is considered off the table, is another player that they should have never let go, Blake Snell," wrote Pressnell. "The Padres should have offered Snell the massive contract extension that he was looking for last offseason rather than letting him land with the Giants and up his value a bit."
Snell signed with the San Francisco Giants late in the offseason on a deal that includes an opt-out after last season. He is likely to opt out and seek a massive contract this winter. Spotrac projects Snell to sign a five-year, $130 million deal in free agency.
"Snell is coming off one of the stronger second halves in recent memory for a pitcher," wrote Pressnell. "He proved in this second half that his Cy Young in 2023 was far from a fluke. He proved in 2024 that he could take over a baseball game year in and year out."
There will be other starters on the market, but Snell is as dominant as they come. Snell is a two-time Cy Young Award winner. He had a dominant second half of the season with a 1.45 ERA in 12 starts.
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