The Philadelphia Phillies were momentarily enmeshed in the free agency turmoil surrounding Blake Snell last week, according to the rumors. Being a free agent, Snell is said to know where the two-time Cy Young winner will wind up, according to a baseball insider. It’s not Philadelphia, sorry. Despite Snell’s stellar resume, MLB expert Buster Olney recently stated on the Willard and Dibs podcast that he was betting the Los Angeles Angels will sign the top pitcher still available on the free-agent market.
Snell finished 14-9 with an MLB-best 2.25 ERA with San Diego the previous season, and he almost unanimously received first-place votes in the Cy Young voting. He has now led the Majors in ERA twice. With the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018, he finished 21-5 with a 1.89 ERA. That season, he was the AL Cy Young winner. Snell is one of 21 pitchers with at least two Cy Young awards and one of just seven pitchers to win a Cy Young in both leagues. It is inappropriate for a pitcher with his qualifications to be available for selection three weeks prior to Opening Day.
Subsequently, The Athletic shot down the idea, claiming that the Phillies “never seriously discussed” acquiring Snell at any cost. Snell seems to be heading for the west coast unless something changes.
