Blake Snell made some more baseball history last night when the two-time Cy Young Award winner threw a no-hitter against the Reds. The 18th no-hit game in the history of the New York/San Francisco Giants franchise, Snell’s gem saw him rack up 11 strikeouts against three walks on 114 pitches. It was also the first time Snell had ever thrown eight full innings in any of his 202 career starts, let alone a complete game.
The no-no continues what has now become one of the better pitching stretches of all time. Snell has an 0.55 ERA over his last five starts (33 IP), in what has been an incredible turn-around after an injury-plagued first half of the season. Signing with the Giants only in the midpoint of March, the lack of a proper Spring Training resulted in Snell posting a 9.51 ERA in his first 23 2/3 innings and six starts, as well a pair of trips to the injured list. It was after his latest return from the IL that Snell began his amazing five-start run, capped off with his legendary game yesterday in Cincinnati. While the Giants received plenty of trade interest in Snell prior to last Tuesday’s deadline, keeping an in-form ace will go a long way towards helping San Francisco’s chances at the playoffs.
More from around the NL West…
- Joe Musgrove will begin a minor league rehab assignment on Sunday, the Padres righty told Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune and other reporters. Musgrove said his first rehab outing is slated to be 45-50 pitches over three innings, adding “I feel healthy and I feel like I’m past the elbow issue. Now it’s just a matter of getting my stuff to a point that’s getting big-league hitters out.” Due to bone spurs in his throwing elbow, Musgrove hasn’t pitched since May 26, and his absence figures to stretch into at least mid-August as he gets fully ramped up. The Padres would certainly use some reinforcement in their rotation, as Michael King is day-to-day with a calf bruise, and Sanders doesn’t feel King is likely to make his next scheduled start tomorrow.
- Speaking of long-term injury absences, Max Muncy has been out since mid-May with a lingering oblique strain, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told media (including MLB.com) that Muncy is set to take part in a simulated game on August 8. According to Roberts, a visit with a chiropractor helped Muncy finally have a “breakthrough” in overcoming the ongoing discomfort in his oblique. Muncy’s return can’t come soon enough for the injury-riddled Dodgers, as the third baseman was posting his usual solid numbers — nine homers and a .223/.323/.475 — over his first 167 plate appearances of 2024.
- Charlie Blackmon is day-to-day with a bruise under his left eye after the Rockies veteran was hit in the face by a deflected throw in yesterday’s game. On a grounder to second base, a wayward throw from Xander Bogaerts saw the ball hit Blackmon’s arm and deflect up into his face, and an obviously hurt Blackmon was forced to leave the game. The good news is that Blackmon passed initial concussion tests, even if there was some facial swelling.
Looking forward to hearing from all the geniuses who smacked FZ for not trading Snell for some prospects. San Francisco has the best starting staff in MLB. If they can step up the timely hitting and make the postseason they can beat anyone.
I was watching the Giants game and thought after first inning it would be a special start for Snell. Had no idea that it would be that special. Giants still like the teams of the late 2000’s early 2010’s, only win if they give up 1 or 0 runs. LOL
Looks like he’ll be opting out.
I like hearing him say to the chatter about being traded that he wanted to be here. I’m banking on him seeing the fan love and the way this year started had left a sour taste to the process of Boras. This point in career they should just tack on two more years at same price and make him opt in now.
Pogo- snell has trouble to adjusting to new environments. He didn’t want to be traded because he is fragile mentally.
He wanted to stay with the giants because he just got comfortable and wants to pitch well the rest of the year so he can cash fat checks in the future. Snell was ripping the giants just a month ago about the handling of his injuries.
Unless the giants write him a very fat check next year he will be gone. He has zero loyalty to the giants.
Simm. I follow the Giants fairly closely and didn’t see where he “ripped” the Giants. In fact I saw an interview where he said he really liked the Giants organization because they really care for their players. Curious where you saw him rip them.
@pogo They can’t “make” Snell do anything!
He’s 31, I doubt he’s looking to take a 3 year deal if he finishes on fire.
Who knows how it will shake out but my guess is he’ll at least try the market again and be looking for 5-6+ years.
I agree. Everyone just assumes he opts out. He likes where he’s at and 30 mil is a pretty good chunk to pass on. Giants will make him an extension offer if he pitches well the rest of the way.
A one year deal is not anything decent for Snell, that was a worst case scenario clause that he would only exercise if he had a poor 2024.
@mab51357 At his age and with him not being eligible for a QO this time around if he does in the second half this year what he usually does in the second half he’s gonna want a multiyear deal.
Once again to clarify. What I mean is the Giants can add years/money to the contract he has now and before him opting out.
And what I mean is he’s a Boras client so he’s going to want to go to the open market so as to force the Giants to up their ante.
… Or Giants could re-worked Snell’s contract make him stay in the Bay Area…
Another year older Snell will be lucky to see 5/125-135 deal and will he be stupid enough to decline another longer term deal as he is not getting the 7/210 he will be looking for.
If he makes all of his starts down the stretch. Averages 93+ pitches per start. And has an ERA of 3.40 and under from today forward. He will probably be the first pitcher off the board at the 5/150 that the Yankees reportedly offered last year
His contract depends on how he pitches the remainder of the year, how well and how deep he pitched in every game.
Oh do tell us how much of a genius you are CB,….we’re all on pins and needles waiting for your wisdom and insight to enlighten us all! Smh lol
I just have a problem with the lack of urgency to sign when you know who you are and start slow. He should have been more ready to sign for that money. Boras should be blacklisted for his detriment to last years deadline. Okay that’s harsh but you know what I mean.
Orioles may regret not going big with the Giants
Do you think they would’ve given Mayo for Snell? I wonder.
No way the O’s trade Mayo for Snell with the opt-out. I don’t think they’d have offered anything close to that.
He isn’t worth mayo for two months but what is he worth opting out…nothing.
Tell It Goodbye
Nah, Orioles would hold the Mayo
Two time Cy Young winner and first time in his career he pitched eight innings in a game.
Jeez Louise…..
Fangraphs highly underestimates the Giants probability to make the playoffs at 12.8%. They have a relatively easy schedule, plenty of games left against the Padres, and a few left with AZ, while the Braves, Pirates and Cardinals are fading and falling apart down the stretch.
No they didn’t. The giants just aren’t good and have been playing teams with along records. They had a healthy pitching staff vs a depleted dodgers team and got spanked.
The giants are just not that good.
You put a lot of importance on one game. More than an experienced fan would. The Dodgers do seem to have the Giants number winning 9 of 13, but most of those losses were in Apr. and May.. Since 6/28 they’re 3 and 3..
Plus the Giants have done okay against some of the better teams. They’re 2 and 1 against ATL, HOU, and MIN. They’re 4 and 2 against NYM, and 4 and 3 against SDP.
And they’re a better team now than they were early.
They just lost 3 of 4 to the depleted dodgers team. Giants fans are taking way too much stock into beating bad teams. They will be 5 out again by the end of the night. There are promising things that may come from this season but the playoffs won’t be one of them.
The Giants are 3 and 3 against the Dodgers since 6/28. In that last series, they lost 3 of 4, but it could have easily been 2 and 2. The Dodgers outscored the Giants in that series 17 to 16. You make it sound like they got blown away.
Every team has games they could have easily won and didn’t.
That means absolutely nothing.
You have to beat the “bad” teams too.
I agree, I would put the Giants chances at about 1 out of 5. But that still means 80 percent they miss out.
Kevin Cash called melvin in the sixth and demanded Snell be pulled
Maybe Eric Wedgie is more likely to call a Melvin on shorts notice
Congratulations to Snell for the no-hitter.
For all the people who still bring up ‘if he opts out they get nothing’ who’s to say they don’t re-sign him? It’s been reported by several Giants outlets he asked to NOT be traded and they acquiesced. He seems to be pretty happy here lately by all reports/reading his body language. If they end up re-signing him I think holding on to him is a significant factor
All those things are still true. The Giants paid him 32m this year to have 5 good starts. Meanwhile there season is circling the toilet bowl.
You pay that kind of money expecting an ace for the year. At best they will get half a season and that’s if something doesn’t change again.
Why does everyone assume Snell leaves the Bay in the off season? SF has just a good of a chance to sign him as anyone. The team has the capability to spend and bring him back.
Giants could sign him for sure. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have traded him. Now perhaps the offers were dog water. Though this smells more like the giants gm trying to say…see spending all this money should have worked out please don’t fire me. If he traded snell he would have been admitting defeat.
Other than Snell not being traded, what is giving off that smell ? The fact that he surprised everyone and clearly admitted defeat on Soler ?
They would also have just as good a chance to sign him if they HAD traded him.
LFG- exactly you only keep him if you’re trying to justify signing him to start with. At the end of today the giants will be 5 out again. It’s a very flawed team.
Simm,
“At the end of today the giants will be 5 out again.”
They lost to one of the best pitchers in baseball by 2 runs. Hunter Greene is tied with Seth Lugo for 4th in WAR for pitchers with a 4.5. The Giants can still win the series. How about a modicum of proportionality?
And your point is they should have lost? The giants could have won if their best starting rotation in baseball didn’t give up 5 runs.
My point is that they are still going to lose games. When you are behind so many teams you have to have a lot of things go your way to even pick up ground. The last 10 games the giants are 7-3 and still lost a game in the standings during that time as the padres and dbacks are 8-2. Even if one of them wasn’t as good then you have the Mets .5 games back.
That’s before you add in them having to pass the pirates and cards as well. It’s one thing to be 4-5 games back of a single team. It’s a lot harder to gain ground when there are so many teams ahead of you.
I never said the Giants were going to make the PS. All I said was it’s not guaranteed that they won’t.. My point was that they’re still close enough that they shouldn’t throw. in the towel. Any team, with a mathematical chance has the ability to have an 8 or 9 game win streak to clinch a spot, and the Giants might be that team. No one knows.
Simm,
Plus, I never said the Giants had the best rotation in baseball.
Your take is factually incorrect. When a player isn’t on your team you lose the right in-season to negotiate with him. All things equal the team a FA plays for does have an inside advantage.
Snell did not have a great first trip thru free-agency, some of the market dynamics that were in place last season will still be there in the 2024-25 off-season in some degree. I have no clue whether Snell requires top $ or how much location plays a role (he’s a new father his family is in Seattle) or his relationship with Melvin etc. but had they traded him they’d have to wait in line with 29 other teams to talk to him.
@sfjackcoke Dude he’s a Boras client! They’re gonna have to wait in line with 29 other teams to talk to him anyway! There is no evidence that the team a FA plays for has an inside advantage to signing him and even if they did, it would only be marginal. The prospects they could recoup/money they would save by trading Snell is exponentially more valuable.
Isn’t it a possibility that the Giants could be talking to Snell about extending at anytime between now and end of season. If so, that is an advantage. Yes or no? I doubt that being the case but it is also possible.
He’s a Boras client so not all that bloody likely.
You made a post and I pointed out the inaccuracy of your take. So first you said “there’s no advantage” and now it’s “marginal” Technically every guy who has ever signed an extension in front of free agency is evidence.
I get he’s a Boras client and I also pointed out last year was a disaster for Snell (and Boras) in FA this years market has uncertainties. Some teams in CBT hell, some teams still impacted by the RSN debacle. Most importantly neither you or I know what Snell is thinking is what are his priorities in this contract, we’ll all find out soon enough.
I will say this, this is not Rondon part 2, SFG wanted zero part of that guy long term
Padres fans said the same thing about Snell last year and guess what? He signed with a division rival.
What the thought of extending Snell really comes down to, whether you realize it or not, is money. You are trying to keep Snell off the open market so that you don’t have to be in a bidding war. Or failing that, you are hoping Snell likes it enough in SF that he is willing to sign with them even if they aren’t *THE* highest bidder. The question is, will that actually happen? And if it does, how much money would the Giants save on the contract? What I’m saying is the money they’d have saved by trading him now (plus the surplus value of whatever prospects they could have gotten for him) is worth more.
Padres are one of those teams impacted by the RSN situation so much so they TRADED Soto. Snell was never a possibility to resign with SD, SD took the QO compensation and went back to dealing with a crappy situation not of their making (Ballys). The situations in SD and SF are in no way similar.
There was nominal $ to be saved trading Snell, MLBTR documented that exhaustively here, not gonna repeat it.. In the end no one made an offer SFG felt was enough to move Snell and by extension punt on their 2024 season.
So the SFG will playout 2024 hoping their staff pitches to their ability and they make a run to the playoffs. SFG have a far better October roster than they do a regular season roster and the playoffs are lucrative for teams
If Snell remains healthy and pitching at a high level expect the SFG to talk to Boras/Snell. No one knows what Snell wants or is prioritizing, we will all find out. Heavy odds that he opts out but a possible extension is not 0%.
MLBTR has just gotten past the trade deadline and hasn’t started yet their content on the 2024-25 off season. Understanding who is in CBT hell, whether there’s any further resolution to the RSN situation is all informative. This off=season there is not only the normal FA class but a host of players with opt outs. Economics is still supply and demand. Snell’s market is already small, less than 10 teams right? Only other factor here is has Snell insured himself or does he carry some injury risk? In the end more questions than answers, easier to just watch and enjoy the remainder of the season.
@sfjackcoke If what Padres fans were saying a year ago were in fact true the “RSN situation” would not have stopped them from signing Snell.
$10.6m is by no means “nominal.” Not to mention eliminate the risk of him tanking down the stretch and opting into $32m that he isn’t worth.
The Giants’ 2024 season is already sunk, with or without Snell.
They can talk to Boras all they want that doesn’t mean he’ll forego the open market. He basically never does.
Agents work for players, if presented with an offer Boras is required to bring it to Snell
Your replies are just nonsense. MLBTR went into great detail on Snell’s trade candidacy with tons of details on the $ and you’re wrong. It’s like you don’t read the content, you just troll the comments.. MUTE
@sfjackcoke Just because the agent works for the player and not the other way around doesn’t mean Boras isn’t a factor.
Snell is owed $5m for the remainder of the season. So I was wrong about that. Still not what I would call “nominal.” Especially when they aren’t going to make the playoffs either way. And my point about trading him eliminating the risk of him tanking down the stretch and opting in still stands.
You’re the troll if you’re saying stuff like “MUTE” on here.
No one knows where Blake Snells head is at. Sometimes, not even Blake.
Exactly, I have watched this dude for 3 years. Every single game and there are padres fans that didn’t want him back even after a cy young season.
He has great stuff but has some mental issues that keeps him from performing consistently over a full year. He is so good he can win a cy young after tanking for 2 months. The problem is he still tanked for three months screwing your team.
Simm
“…there are padres fans that didn’t want him back…”
As evidenced by the comments on MLBTR the opinions of fans are useless.
Still waiting for those names of players who refused to sign with a team specifically *BECAUSE* they traded him.
On July 25 the Padres’ Dylan Cease threw a no-hitter against the Nationals. It was the second no-hitter in franchise history.
In his last three starts Cease has given up just three hits total. In his next game Cease beat the Dodgers 8-1, giving him four wins in a row.
Since MLBTR chose to write about Snell’s no-hitter while ignoring Cease’s, I thought I would do the work for
them. And, yes, I know it was nine days ago, but a no-hitter is forever.
Sorry to learn of the injury to Michael King’s baby cow.
Why does MLB allow players to bring their baby cows onto the field?
More often than not, that results in a CALF INJURY !!
Depth to fill in due to Michael King being out to tend to his baby cow,
the team could always just turn to……………………………………………….
JOE KING !!
Do not get it. Must not know the inside joke!
Time for the old song Musgrove love to be sung again!
Hey Giant fans: Has your stadium warmed up yet? Do you still sell out all the Time? Are you going to gain fans when the A’s leave? Are you going to conten?. This inquiring Brewer Fan wants to know!
Oracle isn’t warm, but it’s still much better than the ‘Stick. It’s the days that are beautiful in SF, not so much the nights.
They don’t sell out all the time, but still draw well, Last I looked they were 8th in attendance.
As for A’s fans, I have no idea, but I’d guess not many, and probably not right away.
I also don’t know if they’ll contend. It’s possible. They’re playing better now, the rotation has been bolstered, and the teams they’re chasing aren’t exactly lacking flaws.
Thank you! I do appreciate you having aa good time in responding to both my questions and sarcasm. I do admire you guys as fans!
To all the Giants fans trying to defend not trading Snell and saying it doesn’t matter if he opts out because they can afford to re-sign him would that not also be the case if they HAD traded him?
Based upon what the Giants paid and what Snell has done, Snell needs several more quality starts to say that he was worth it. Of course, if they make it to the World Series then you can argue that he made a difference, but what if they had spent that money on a bat, that might have helped too, if they picked wisely (not Brett Wisely).