The Astros have been the buzz of the baseball world this weekend following reporting that indicated the club was in “serious pursuit” of the top remaining free agent, reigning NL Cy Young award winner Blake Snell. Reporting from USA Today’s Bob Nightengale earlier today indicates that the club may be a “long-shot” to ultimately land the southpaw, however. Nightengale reports that the club has “balked” at the asking price from Snell’s camp, which he adds stands at a $60MM guarantee over two years that includes an opt-out following the 2024 season. Houston, Nightengale adds, is conscious of being pushed over an additional luxury tax threshold by a Snell deal with an AAV in the $30MM range. Nightengale goes on to suggest that the Giants currently appear to be the favorites for Snell’s services, though he makes clear that San Francisco has been waiting for Snell’s price to drop even as they’ve remained engaged with the southpaw.
It’s not necessarily a surprise that the Astros would be worried about stomaching a $30MM annual commitment for Snell’s services. The club is already in unprecedented territory with regards to its player payroll; Cot’s Baseball Contracts notes that Houston has never entered a season with a projected payroll above their $187MM figure from the 2021 season, but RosterResource projects the club to blow that figure out of the water this year with a whopping $240MM payroll entering the 2024 campaign. That figure reaches nearly $256MM for luxury tax purposes, just over $1MM shy of the second, $257MM tax threshold.
Virtually any addition to the club’s payroll at any point this season would push them past that level, but a more significant addition such as Snell would leave the club at risk of going over the third threshold, which stands at $277MM for the 2024 season. While the first two brackets of the luxury tax come with only financial considerations, the penalties get stiffer when a clubs surpasses the third threshold. Those penalties most notably include the club’s highest pick in the following year’s draft being pushed back ten places, which is further compounded by an associated cut to the club’s bonus pool for signing their draft picks that year. Given the elevated costs involved with a pursuit of Snell, it was hardly surprising when GM Dana Brown suggested that the club wasn’t interested in pursuing additional starting pitching this spring, even name-dropping Snell specifically as a player the club would “love to have” but didn’t expect to sign.
Of course, it’s hard to overstate just how impactful Snell could be for the Astros rotation even in spite of those ancillary concerns. Right-handers Lance McCullers Jr. and Luis García Jr. are both set to open the season on the injured list and miss considerable time this season. They’ll also be joined at least for the early days of the campaign by veteran ace Justin Verlander, whose start to the season has been delayed soreness in his right shoulder. Those injuries leave the club’s rotation depth in an tough spot entering the season, and a recent injury scare regarding Jose Urquidy has only exacerbated those concerns. KRPC2’s Ari Alexander reported recently that Urquidy has been dealing with “forearm stiffness” per a source, while manager Joe Espada told reporters yesterday that the right-hander has flown back to Houston from the club’s spring complex in Florida to meet with team doctors.
Losing Urquidy could leave the club to rely on depth options such as Hunter Brown, J.P. France, and Ronel Blanco behind a front-of-the-rotation duo featuring Framber Valdez and Cristian Javier, at least for the start of the season. Adding Snell to that mix would not only give the club much-needed additional pitching depth early in the season, but would also add an impactful, playoff-caliber arm to a rotation that saw each of Verlander, Valdez, and Javier take steps back in 2023 from the 2022 form that saw the group stand among the very best starting trios in baseball that year. While Snell certainly has flashed inconsistencies of his own throughout his career, posting a relatively pedestrian 3.85 ERA and 3.44 FIP from 2019 to 2022, he’s nonetheless ranged from a dependable mid-rotation arm to an elite, front-of-the-rotation flamethrower throughout his eight years in the majors and would be a surefire upgrade to an Astros club looking to make an eighth consecutive postseason appearance this fall.
On the other hand, Snell would provide all those same benefits to the Giants. San Francisco has had a busy offseason, bringing in Bob Melvin to replace Gabe Kapler in the managers’ chair while adding the likes of Matt Chapman, Jorge Soler, Jung Hoo Lee, and Jordan Hicks in free agency. With that being said, the club has done little to address a rotation mix that delivered the least innings among all major league clubs last year. Hicks has moved from the bullpen into the rotation since joining San Francisco, and the club could also receive a boost from trade acquisition Robbie Ray midseason upon his return from Tommy John surgery sometimes this summer. With Ray, Alex Cobb, and Tristan Beck all set to open the season on the injured list, however, it leaves the club with minimal certainty in the rotation behind staff ace Logan Webb.
Given how much the club would benefit from another front-of-the-rotation arm to pair with Webb, it’s not a surprise that the Giants continue to be involved in Snell’s market. Despite comments from club chairman Greg Johnson back in February that suggested the club planned to rely on young rotation arms such as Kyle Harrison and Keaton Winn entering the 2024 season, reporting has indicated that San Francisco has remained in the mix for Snell in recent weeks, though the club has signaled that it did not anticipate further major additions after signing Chapman earlier this month.
While it’s unclear how far Snell’s price would have to fall for San Francisco to pounce, the club’s books figure to have far more flexibility than those in Houston. RosterResource projects the club for a payroll of just $177MM entering the 2024 season, likely leaving ample room for the club to fit Snell into the budget. While the club’s luxury tax payroll stands at a somewhat higher $226MM figure, even an AAV approaching Snell’s reported $30MM asking price would leave the club just a touch under the second luxury tax threshold.
White Sox should swoop in
Yes or no?
Of course. Great asset to flip at the deadline, and with Cease gone, adding another vet SP they could flip would be a nice idea.
You can’t flip a player with that sort of contract. Thirty million in 2024, 30 million in 2025. Then, if he’s good, he opts out. If he’s bad, you’re stuck with him and his contract.
Yeah you can. You negotiate a contract in which the 2nd year disappears if he’s traded, and gives him a no-trade. Acquiring team would essentially be signing him anew at mid-season.
What would Snell’s motivation be to sign that? He wants a long term deal, he doesn’t want to sign a trade-chip friendly contract.
That’s all that’s left for him. He was talking two years with Astros, per the article.
You absolutely can trade that type of contract you just add stipulations if he opts into his second year.
No you absolutely can’t, this was evident with the giants and rodon. Nobody wanted him cause of the opt out. Why would the pitcher want the second year to disappear if they’re pitching good? Good thing you aren’t an agent or gm
His “motivation” could be to pitch sometime in 2024.
Because he can force the new team to give him an extension.
He’s not going t sign that deal
He has better deals he’s left on the table than that
Ok but that’s risky. He’s coming off a great season now. How’s the time to make the money
Well he overplayed his hand. The only time he is going to have leverage is trade deadline. Look what Sale got out of Atlanta to waive.
I think we will learn in a few years that while not conclusion like how we know it, but the GMs are talking to each other through back channels. The mysterious other team that suddenly is bidding against you is a hoax. The Yankees made their offer. No one topped it, and Cashman didn’t blink and went with plan B.
The Giants didn’t trade Rodon because they were 6 games above .500 at the All-Star break and well in position to snag a wild card.
“can’t flip a player with that sort of contract”- see Josh Bell
Tell that to the casual cubs fans that wanted the cubs to trade Marcus Stroman 3 months into a 3 year contract. (Which ended up being only 2 years)
No team would take that contract unless the team trading him pays over 85% of it. It would have to be Snell and Cash for PTBNL(more than one player)
I think the $60M/2yrs is fine (considering the market absurdity) BUT without the opt out.
Why want the second year to disappear if he is doing good? Really? Do you read what you write. Players only want years if they have a bad year.
Maybe the economy isn’t so hot? Lol.
What?
Ok, Cubs fans, trading a guy with a player option is absolutely doable. Stroman wasn’t traded because, shocker, the Cubs bought at the trade deadline.
Scherzer was traded with an opt out.
Bell was traded with an opt out.
E-Rod was traded with an opt out (he exercised his NTC).
Looks pretty doable to me.
White Sox have Garrett Crochet, who is basically a Blake Snell waiting to happen.
Why would a team sign him for $30M this season and let him opt out? I don’t care what Boras says, he’s missing April starts. So you’re paying him for 5 months of service and then letting him bolt? Nah I’ll pass.
Bexause if he opts out he was worth the pay day.
No one is giving this guy all the years Boras is looking for. Especially with all these pitcher injuries running rampant this spring. He should have taken 6/150 from the NYy. He won’t see anything close to that now.
It sounds like they were willing to take two years with an opt out after 1.
If he’s willing to take 2/60 with an opt out theres worse things. I see someone signing him soon if he’ll take that.
Im wondering if one or more of Bellinger, Chapman, Snell or Montgomery bolt on Boras after this offseason.
Nothing to do with Boras.
It seems like to some extent it was. If the 9/270 ask from Snell is real, sounds like a total Boras move, reject a solid 150m guarantee and ask the moon. It does seem like Boras convinced all four of them they could get more than anyone was willing to give. At least with Snell it sounds like they turned down a solid offer too. They are all following the same pattern this offseason as well holding out until the end for far less than they originally asked.
Why is 6/150 a solid guarantee? Rodon got more.
Don’t think is the best strategy to mention Rodon on any negotiation when everybody knows its a bad contract.
I know Snell had the shiny ERA but his peripherals were more good than great. Rodon came off a monster year in terms of peripherals. I like Snell but 6/150 seems solid to me. I actually think the comp is close 2022/2023 Rodon vs 2023/2024 Snell. It sounds like instead of asking to match Rodon’s contract it sounds like they asked the moon.
I doubt anyone bolts on Boras. The market uncertainty isn’t his fault. He will adapt and still find the best deals for his clients. I don’t like the guy but he’s very good at what he does. He’ll adapt to the market realities.
“Why is 6/150 a solid guarantee?”…Because the last time I checked $150,000,000 was a LOT of money (25M per year)and it’s certainly a lot more than he’s looking at now. The fact that someone else got more is completely irrelevant, because someone will always get more, either because they’re better or negotiated their contract in a stronger, more robust business environment.
We know Bellinger won’t. He was extremely happy with the deal he got Montgomery has severally limited where he is willing to play, so that makes signing harder.
Don’t know about Chappy or Snell, but its not likely.
The Yankees thought it was a good deal because they signed Rodon for that amount.
LMFAO.
For the Cy Young winner? Nope. That the Yankees have offered more since then is ample evidence of that.
And Snell will get $30+ million on a 1 year deal if he signs one.
Well the wait is getting more expensive (for Snell)…
Everything to do with Boras.
Has everything to do with Boros. He overvalued his client and it’s showing. Snell, while talented, is inconsistent and requires a bullpen. Paying $30+M for someone who ‘might’ go 6 innings isn’t with the investment Boras is looking for.
No one is giving up their second round pick for what will amount to 5 months of Snell– if he signs today? He’s going to need 4-weeks to get ready. And so often when these guys miss camp and come in late they are behind and spend half a season catching up. Increased injury possibility as they push themselves to be ready. Boras has misplayed this horribly, but Snell, Montgomery and Martinez need to take control of their careers. Martinez is 36– he can’t afford to miss half the season.
Also, whoever signs Snell loses a draft pick.
Baltimore should swoop in. The have plenty of payroll room and an extremely talented young roster. They shouldn’t need to care about draft picks for this year the way their farm is stacked.
And Os POBO Mike Elias came from Houston, so not averse to the big signing. Yes? No? Maybe? Here’s hoping new owner Rubenstein opens up the ole wallet!
Baltimore is going great with their current strategy.
Os have WS aspirations this year. IMO, they need a lefty TOR type. Means is a 3 when healthy and Irvin seems to be an EOR/LR hurler at best. It’s just not enough.
2 yr at 35 mil per with a 5 mil buyout. Prefer him over the cheaper #3 rotation Montgomery type option.
Yes, I believe that’s why Monty is still in the market because he pitched like a number one in the playoffs so he wants to get paid like it but he is a #3
Two years at $26m per & out clause after year 1… he should be so lucky as everything should be prorated
No no no. Snell is sporadic. Not worth $35M per.
He’s also missed spring training, so you’re not getting him for the first 2 months of this season. Its likely that his delay has cost him at least $5M this year alone.
And, he’s probably going to be salty about what he perceives to be a less than Market Value contract.
Add in that the O’s value draft picks, meaning they’d want a longer term commitment (possibly terminally by them via Team options) and I just don’t see these sides coming together.
That would be a splashy and fun landing spot. I think the new ownership group should do it. Success in BAL is great for baseball. Now get to October…
If the Orioles are going to sign a pitcher to a long term deal, they may be more interested in Coebin Burnes instead of Blake Snell.
Snell is available for a short term deal now.
Blake Snell does not fit the types of starting pitchers that Mike Elias signed so far. Also, signing Snell for more than $50 million means forfeiting a draft pick. I just do not think this is likely.
Burnes is that righty force, agreed. But to give them a legit shot at a WS appearance, IMO, Birds need that TOR lefty guy as well.
I do think they should go all in for a championship with the talented roster they have.
Every fan base always wants more. Even when they already have enough. Just ask Rangers fans. They didn’t think they had enough last year.
Braddish out, Means out, Irvin question mark, Kremer innings eater type only. IMO, this is a need not a wanting more situation.
Snell is a talented pitcher but I don’t see Baltimore as his resting (even temporary) spot. They need to leverage cost controlled home grown players and the loss of a pick is not something that they really like to do under this GM. Duquette would have done it but then again, the team, then also chose to exclude itself from the Latin American market.
Seems reasonable that Snell will be in black and orange though as SF is where he’ll likely end up as the article says.
That will be the headline tomorrow. Baltimore in serious talks with Snell. Because almost every team has been in the last 2 weeks.
Someone please sign this guy. I’m sick of this greedy Boras drama.
He’s a Boras guy. That’s all you need to know.
Boras should of been banned years ago! Didn’t like 20 years ago,don’t like now! Bad for the game.
What if…Snell came back to the Padres on an incentive laden 3 yr with opt outs deal.
Padres need a lefty…
Rotation:
Snell
Musgrove
Cease
Darvish
King
Now that…is a rotation.
Then Brito, Vasquez, Waldron and Avilla filling in or a potential six man rotation…
Or any of the above to the pen…
Then, I’m printing playoff tickets.
Didn’t they have basically the same rotation last year when they missed the playoffs?
Sans Cease.
True, but I don’t see Cease outperforming what Wacha did last yr
I mean, I’d love it, but how do you make the money work?
Incentivize the heck out of it.
Spend the remaining amount on him.
Have another player restructure their contract to bring him aboard.
It’s definitely doable.
We’d need Boras/Snell to agree to a couple of cheap player options to knock down the AAV. Something like 30/25/15/10.
It’s definitely not doable. They are 13m under the tax and are highly unlikely to go over it. Snell isn’t signing some deal that doesn’t have a good guarantee. This isn’t football where players restructure their deals. What are they going to do add more years to manny, darvish and Xander who are already signed into their 40’s.
Snell will not be a padre. Zero chance. Giants, angles or Astros (I get they say it’s too much but I’m sure they knew that before they went to watch him pitch last week. So they have interest still).
You could always defer money to lessen the tax hit. 2/65 with 50 deferred?
Ah Simm, what’s the incentive for you for him not to be a Padre?
Fiercely defending payroll are you?
Payroll warrior.
Snell makes the team better.
Padres need to spend to fill out the roster, unless well they are intent on a higher profit margin.
Simm are you on ‘Team Profit’?
Passing on .inor league deals is a clear indication the Post Peter Seidler ownership grpup does not want to spend money.
Why might the team want to be under the luxury tax this year rather then being a 3 time offender… Seems simple: mlb.com/glossary/transactions/competitive-balance-…
Stay under this year and it resets their clock, rather than paying a 50% penalty If they were to go over this year. With them 13m from the limit that means at a 30m AAV for Snell you’re paying him close to 40m (38.5m).
If you had to put a fair value on the performance Snell provided in 2021 and 2022 what would that figure be, salary wise? I’d say in the ballpark of 15m/yr being a fair price for the services provided. For 2023 I think you could say he would have earned a 40m salary.
If I’m the Padres looking at the past three years and I’d feel pretty confident that he wouldn’t be as good as he was in 2023. If there is a 50-70% chance he is of similar value as he was in 2 of his 3 seasons (both 128 IP), are you really criticizing them for not wanting to pay close to 40m for that performance?
Deferrals!
Two- your comment makes zero sense. You say they are cheap because they don’t want to sign guys to minor league deals. Which they have btw this year. Minor league deals cost basically nothing and the padres will end up with a full roster which means they are going to be paying guys at least league min which is what most minor league deal guys get.
You are the same guy who said the padres wouldn’t sign a single player to a major league contract this year. You are just always wrong and the most negative poster on this site.
Every padre fan would be good with signing snell to a reasonable deal. It’s just not happening. The padres are intent on restring the tax. That leaves them 13m or less to spend and likely will save a bit for a mid season acquisition.
I could be on team spend but that isn’t reality so what’s the point. The padres have a number of 5th starter options and will be fine in that area. They should still look to upgrade left field.
“Opt out” is a one-sided bargain ploy. “If I fail I want you to continue to overpay me but if I can get more I wanna leave and get it”. What if teams started to say,” if you have a bad year we’re going to cancel your contract”? It’s bogus and I would never deal with this if I were an owner.
Now that’s a wet dream that’s not happening!
Nah. Question is, why do owners pay? CBA. Not Collective Bargaining Agreement. Cost Benefit Analysis.
A star player is a bag of money. He gets his cut.
Houston, just Don’t Do It.
Ain’t my money. Pay .25 cents more for a beer and $4 bucks more for a jersey. Who cares when there is a ring.
How about the 80% of Americans falling below the poverty line?
What are you talking about? I remember going to the ballpark and tickets were $3.50 and it was .50-cents to park. The ticket prices, beer, parking are out of control and the average family can now only afford to go a couple of times a year. We are all paying for it at the park and with our cable TV prices.
Watch games pirated and don’t go. If u want to go walk and don’t buy the 25 dollar beer
What?????!!!!!????
Astros were in Hot Pursuit just the other day and now it’s over
How can this be?
Astros would be very close to crossing the third luxury tax threshold with signing Snell at 30 million a year. That pushes back their top draft pick 10 spots and take money away from their draft pool.
If they want Snell, They could defer some of the money to save them some luxury tax room. They could add a third year and lower the 2024 salary number and bump up the 2026 number. Astros are already going to have the highest payroll in team history, so to bring Snell in, they are going to have to get creative. It’s all a matter of if Snell really wants to be in Houston and how much he wants to win a World Series. He needs to shut Boras in a closet and get something done as the season starts in just a few weeks.
Snell is a complete Moron, he priced himself right out of this year
He won’t be pitching until May and may not be effective even when ready
Snell doesn’t care where he plays, and assumes anyone that can afford him will have a shot. All he cares about is the money.
The Astros would lose a draft pick and lose 10 draft places in 2025. On top of that they won’t have money for Tucker. Also, lol the Astros winning the WS this year.
Because this rumor is from Nightengale and pretty much everything he says is total bs.
MLBTR making up headlines
Report: Literally every team is a long shot to land Snell as he just doesn’t want to sign!
Maybe take the hint that you’re not gonna get what you want, Blake.
If accurate, a $60M demand for a guarantee is a lot lower than what he was originally asking. But it’s still a $60M guarantee. If he’s good next year, he will opt out. If he’s injured or underperforms, he collects the guaranteed extra $30.M. And there are the CBT penalties. So you pay the penalties and get….what? There are some possible bad outcomes here for Houston
Indeed, it’s still too much. He’s had two great seasons separated by injury and inconsistency. He may get it somewhere, but it’s understandable that the Astros would pass.
The Astros have already been down that ‘bad outcomes’ road. They got all of 6 IP out of JV in ’20 and ’21 for $66M. Not that Snell has a history of going down hurt. However Snell does throw way too many non-competitive pitches (w/ too many BB) , and only goes 5 IP per outing. Cy Young he ain’t. And they already have pitchers who will get a late start this season.
If San Francisco wasn’t happy with the innings they got from their rotation last year, signing Snell isn’t the answer. Lorenzen or Clevenger would provide more help.
Snell isn’t actually Cy Young but he has won the award twice already.
It still seems bizarre to me that the Astros let JV walk as a free agent only to trade 2 of their top 5 prospects to bring him back in the fold a few months later. I guess they used the prospects to lower his salary versus just resigning him, but it still seems strange and unprecedented.
A one-year deal is probably the best for all parties invoiced. I don’t know what it is about Snell, but maybe Kevin Cash has blacklisted him around the league after the 2020 World Series. How do you win a Cy Young and struggle to field offers?
He hasn’t struggled to field offers. He just think he is worth more than what any team has offered.
At 2 year $60 I wouldn’t be disappointed if the Angels signed him.
IWhy bother when you have a 70 win team?
Because you can trade him for prospects.
Yeah good luck with that
Seam – yet any of those teams with said prospects could just swoop in and make the same contract offer today.
That trick only works when you sign a recovery type guy cheap and he performs well.
Why bother playing any of the games then? You always have to try and you never know when you are going to outperform projections.
To win 77 games angels need to get the first overall pick already.
Teams should take a stand a not sign guys like Snell who hold out two weeks before the season (at the very least). These people have nothing in common with us. They’re holding out for $50-$100 million and meanwhile not participating in their profession while the common guy like us are toiling away for a decent living.
Speak for yourself. I haven’t toiled for years and my living’s mostly indecent! Ask not for whom the ball toils, etc.
The bell tolls, not toils
O. John Dung, was it?
The whole industry is based on bludgeoning the fan for every last cent. 2 wolves and a sheep deciding on dinner
Good point
Let’s go Dombrowski. 2 yrs 60 mil. Get it done.
I think PHI is already in the third CBT level. 110% tax and -10 spots in the draft.
Not to mention a loss of deft pool money that comes with the 3rd tier
Watch Texas sign him to that deal 2-60 million and not pay Monty.
Watch Texas not pay either of them.
Well, that’s realistic
Not really a bold prediction that seems more factual
If the Giants get him, they go from crap to maybe not so bad.
Such a weird plan to address the position player side of things and basically not do anything concrete to address the rotation.
I mean everyone already hates and boos the Astros, if they’re not the perfect team to sign Bauer, I don’t know who is haha!
Bauer will sign in a second with Houston for the league min 1-year deal to prove himself to baseball
@Hawk
Rockies should see if he will really do that. love to see Bauer absolutely shelled in the thin air of Denver so we don’t have to hear about him ever again after getting DFA’d before the All Star break.
Are there any comment sections that don’t include the words deferred or Bauers name?
Bauer should just do the thing we all know he is going to do: sign up with Fox News as a “cultural sports correspondent” so he can talk about how unfair “woke” baseball has been to him and how immigrants are ruining the sport.
As an added laugh, do y’all remember when that sniveling, smug Bauer kept closing his eye during a Spring Training game against the Padres and then Tatis tattooed one of his pitches about 30 feet over the fence? Remember when Tatis ran around the bases with one of his eyes closed, as a mockery of the man? What a perfect F U to that P O S.
Imagine getting this serious,angry and riled up about about a joke that Bauer and Tatis had. And then you probably cheer for Tatis. A guy that used steroids and has been called out for being a bad father for his out of wedlock births.
Sleepy Joe is that you??? Nevermind, he can’t put a coherent sentence together.
Yes because wokism isn’t societal cancer or anything
So I gotta ask because I know everyone hates this tactic, but why aren’t teams trying the Dodgers defer money trick to skirt under the thresholds? It’s not illegal, Snell get what he wants in time and teams don’t have to pay extra now when it’d hurt more.
Not so hard to understand, there are not many Ohtani`s who can wait 10+ years to get paid while making millions in advertising.
Remember it was the player who suggested the deal, not the team.
Still the subject has been broached and it’s a viable way to work. I mean do any of these already millionaires need all of this money at once? Also, Yamamoto and Teo’s contracts also had deferred money in it.
Im not sure Yamamoto and Hernandez have deferred money, but Bets and Freeman does.
Teo’s does in the traditional sense of the terms meaning he’ll be on the payroll past his playing time with the club while Yamamoto’s contract is backlogged so his first couple years don’t cost the Dodgers much. $5 million only this year!
Even if its deferred, the team still has to put the money into an account now, to be played out later. Ohtani is only getting about $45MM, but the media went to the projected future value for a more sensational headline. If Snell gets $30MM on a Scherzer like deferment, $15mm now, the rest later, it would still count as $30MM against the tax, and the team would still have to put out the full $30MM this year. The deferred amount might end up over $20MM when paid out. Doesn’t really help the team much.
The bill always comes due. The Nats are paying, what, $30 million a year for the rest of the decade on the Scherzer and Strasburg deferrals? Sure, you can factor in the “time value of money” (put that money in the bank now and it’ll earn interest) but still, you gotta pay it.
Wow 60/2 and no takers yet? That is new news and a big drop from 270/9.
Short term deals are never too bad, maybe because QO the opt-out is a bad idea for teams (except SD), but I can see the market moving now.
Why not Dodgers, it’s the first real all in season for this FO.
No one wants to overpay for Snell lol won’t even have enough time to get ready for opening day.
This guy sucks. Does he know that he averaged under 6 innings per start,had a huge walk rate,pitched in a huge park,had a good defense, and wasn’t that good the 2 years before?
He had a 6.0 WAR last year if he can give you 4.0 on a 1 year deal it’s good value.
If you’re hoping for 4.0 War, why would you pay him for 6.0? That’s why he doesn’t have a contract.
30 million for 4 war is reasonable
Blake Snell on that deal I wouldn’t be worried about going over the luxury tax if I was any team even if I was the Dodgers what’s another 30 million for one year because you know he’s going to opt out.
Tigers signed Baez to six with an opt out after 2. That’s the reason.
He’s NOT opting out because he’ll hack it up, he can’t help himself, that’s what hacks do & snell is a hack. Ahahaha!
If he really would take 2/60 that’s the kinda move the Os should make. I understand not giving him 6 years at that but for two with an opt out they should jump on. Offer it as a mutual opt out that way they have an out too. Bradish and Means are starting the season on the IL
If Nightengale is saying they are a long shot they will sign him tomorrow.
the Mexican League may have an opening
I think a short term deal his best bet would be in that big ballpark in San Francisco go for another CY young. Opt out
Feels like a staring match between Snell and the Giants at this point with maybe the Angels lurking if they give him a long term offer. If the Giants have been good for one thing the past few years it’s having pitchers going there having a stellar season and getting paid big by another team.
The greed that has consumed this sport is sickening. It’s such an amazing game, that’s been tainted by the greed of everyone involved, and hurts the fans. What a shame.
The greed and rule changing (an aspect of greed I guess) have greatly ruined my enthusiasm for the sport
I can tolerate some of the rule changes if put in place over a long period of time, and not all at once. But what gets me, is that these dudes are already making ” generational wealth “, and ask for MORE, because the generational wealth is still NOT ENOUGH. Greed, and the end result is less enthusiasm and interest from people that work hard for their families everyday…
Yea. Tax payers build beautiful stadiums and the owners gouge on everything inside and the players push it up to not get left out. Only the fans get left out
Haha, the Asstros are gonna crash and burn this season
$30M and he’s not stretched out until July. Definitely worth it!
-All other teams
My sources tell me the A’s are frontrunner for Snell.
Wouldn’t be a bad spot for him on a one-year deal big ballpark.
As soon as they say the Astros are a long shot, I’m positive they’ll sign him tomorrow.
Kansas City Royals would be more sneaky in my opinion.
I’d put my money on the Angels or Giants.
First mlb games are in 3 days
And the reigning cy young winner & the WS hero are both unemployed
There’s always food stamps.
Better off coming across the southern border and saying you don’t belong here but have to stay because you destroyed your old country
The Blue Jays could be a serious “dark horse” option. If Kevin Gausman’s shoulder can’t go and Alec Manoah can’t return to 2022 form, and Yusei Kekuchi returns to his middling stats. There are only 2 years left in the Vladdy/Bo window. The J’s are “only” in the first salary tax tier, so the payroll tax for Snell wouldn’t hit quite as hard as for, let’s say, the Yankees or Mets. Rogers Communications owns the team, and the network broadcasting all of the games, so eyes on the product greatly affects profits. In September and October, Rogers wants Canadians watching the Blue Jays and not gearing up for the start of hockey season.
Make it happen, Farhan. You’ve got plenty of money to spend
All reports of teams interested in Snell are shortly followed by stories that there’s little interest. Likely Boras leaks initially as he tries to create a market that the team soon after denies.
Yes. Been clear to me that teams aren’t allowing Boras to get away with misinformation this year. Teams have been very quick to shoot down inaccurate reporting.
5 teams traveled to Seattle to watch him workout. So what Boras said about interest in Snell was downplayed a bit.
This “rumor” is by Nightengale, so you can pretty much assume its wrong and Snell will sign with them soon. Remember what he said about Bellinger? And Yamamoto?
If Snell signs a two-year deal with an opt-out, I bet there will be a NTC or limited-trade clause.
Yes, Snell would want to negotiate with the receiving team himself
If the money is right, why would he take a pass? That has to be the catch here, no? Houston isn’t offering whatever Boras is pitching? OR…(drumroll) Maybe the man has morals? BANG BANG!! (as I sit here assuming he’ll wind up signing with the Trashstros).
So, when does Snell sign. Tomorrow?
It’s just as well, they’d be ripped off. If Verlander stays down, they free up money there. He was my pick for Cy Young, but for some reason he can’t seem to start seasons healthy now. It’s too bad, but maybe the gut check time he needs to get to 300 wins. Detroit has a lot of good young pitchers that should be better than Snell which Soros also controls.
Man this reporting on this stuff is tiresome. A team says they aren’t interested in something then a week later sign the top guy. We read the Astros are in on someone only to have it shot down a few days later. Start the season please. Enough winter/ST.
What Hal Steinbrenner fails to realize that if he signed Snell that whatever he loses in the fourth level tax tier he would over that loss in ticket sales and other things the Yankees sell their fans. However, the Yankees have no clue. Trashman and Boone are only kept on to hide the incompetence of Hal and the Steinbrenner family understanding of how to operate a ball team.
Giants. Cobb will be ready VERY soon. Before mid April. Sign snell
Cobb’s recovery seems like a reason NOT to sign Snell, no?
Yankees sign him to a big short term deal with incentives.
Snell and teams are playing chicken and I hope snell loses
Greed is a disgusting trait for rich people to have
I feel like Snell wants the magical non-existent offer of 5 years/$225M or something like that and won’t really settle for much less- like that 2 year/$66M suggested contract he’s putting feelers out over is just a starting point.
I do feel bad for him. He just won his second Cy Young, his bad years aren’t terrible, he’s relatively young and he can’t get any kind of a remotely decent contract while less lauded pitchers are getting like 6-8 years at $25M+.
You’d think *someone* would swoop in with 3 years/$100M or 4 years/$110M or something and it’d be done.
Is there literally no team in the majors who has roster or budget space for Snell at any contract structure?
He’s not worth even that. He’s had three good years and many mediocre ones. Even last year’s season was not great.
Blake Snell doesn’t fit the Astros type of team. He had to go to a large stadium. This is fake news by Boras.
This will be a regrettable signing. 30 million total for 2 years and and opt out will be an overpay. Pitchers sitting out for a contract..? When has that ever turned out well?
With all the time missed and uncertainty where they will wind up, Snell and Montgomery need to sign with a team in a blue state since it’s easy to secure housing
Good
So, the Astros don’t want to sign him long term, but also don’t want to pay him the price of a higher AAV to be able to land him on a short term. Are they really “heavily pursuing” at that point, or more just hoping that he’s gotten desperate?
I get why teams over the luxury tax won’t sign Snell. You lose picks and the penalty pretty much doubles his salary against the cap. It is a question of is the compensation not worth it or is Boras and Snell holding out for a long contract at big bucks.
Montgomery is the one that makes no sense. Unless he is doing the same, long term contract big bucks, you would think someone would have offered the Bellinger/Chapman contract.
I have been as Snell fan during his Padres stint but let me share my concern for thought.
He has a history of very bad April / May starts and well, that is when he is in a normal pattern for getting ready.
He has commented a lot of not knowing how this happens to him and acknowledges it is an issue.
Also, a little bit of a head case with his pitches – he puts pitches in “time out” and won’t even throw them at times. He has high pitch counts because he question his strengths. When he attacks with FB and cleans up with that wipeout slide he is super effective.
If you have followed Snell you know what I mean.
So here is the thing – how much has this delayed signing / not getting what he was promised by Boras done to his psyche?
I’d be very concerned on a 1 year deal that it might take until August for “good Snell” to show up.
Glad you brought this up… we’ve seen what happens when any SP is thrown off of their “normal” season prep routine, so I’m sure w/ a historically slow starter, this has the potential to lead to a rocky first half.
After reading the comments, I’m sure most posters missed what Snell is asking for. The key word there is ‘GUARANTEED’, which means he wants Houston to sign him for two years at 30M a season, but if he has a good year, since 60M is guaranteed regardless, he can opt out after the first year and pocket 60M for his services in year one. He then walks and Houston were left holding the bag and shafted for 30M. It is important that fans understand what it means by ‘guaranteed’ contract and it doesn’t mean Houston are off the hook in year two, without Snell on their team. I wouldn’t sign that either, but Boras is sneaky and Snell gets 60M, which is more than Cole and other pitchers in 2024
If what you say is true, there is very little chance anyone is that desperate to sign him to a short term deal if the club is still on the hook for the 2nd year “guaranteed” dollar amount even if he opts out…..lets see how Boras spins that one…..
“Guaranteed” because is a players option, it’s on him to accept or decline the option, but player has to opt in the second year to get access to the second year money. All contracts are guarantee in baseball.
Yamamoto signed a 325M/12 years (guarantee ), he also has one or two opt-outs, by your logic he should opt-out after the 6th year and still get the 325.
Random thought: does Snell’s market influence the Braves shot at extending Max Fried? Atlanta’s “reported” offer to Aaron Nola was six years, $162M. It makes sense to prioritize durability over injury-plagued dominance in the case of Nola compared to Fried’s injuries over the years. But unless Max is focused on overall top dollar, it seems like a 6-year/$140Mish or so might have a shot at getting it done.
Max has been more consistent than Snell when healthy; maybe that’s the issue. But still, having a Cy Young lefty on the market as the regular season approaches could influence Max to meet in the middle for an extension. This could also be wishful thinking on my end.
Cash – I would think that all pending FA would be looking at what is going on.
That said – are you looking at the questionable contracts handed out early on to some guys or are you looking at the non-contracts for Snell/Montgomery as your guide.
Yam on one extreme who has never pitched in mlb and exceeded all estimates.
The bunch of SP’s with limited or little track records all getting 15-18 AAV’s.
Maybe the article should say:
“Snell’s demands being met are a long-shot”