SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — With less than two weeks until Opening Day, the Giants reportedly made one of their biggest additions of the offseason Monday evening.
Blake Snell, the reigning National League Cy Young winner, will reunite with manager Bob Melvin and shore up San Francisco’s depleted starting rotation, according to multiple reports. The deal, first reported by the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, is for a reported two years and $62 million and includes the ability to opt out after this season.
Pending a physical, the deal has not been officially announced by the team. Snell, however, appeared to offer his own confirmation with a photo posted to his personal Instagram of him edited into the Giants’ home uniform, captioned with two orange and black heart emojis.
Snell, 31, joins third baseman Matt Chapman as exclamation points on the Giants’ offseason, bringing their total commitments made this winter north of $300 million, second only to the Dodgers. Like Chapman, Snell is a client of superagent Scott Boras who didn’t receive the nine-figure deal he was originally seeking.
Related Articles
SF Giants catcher Patrick Bailey expected to return to action soon
Handicapping SF Giants’ top position battles heading into final week of spring training
Oracle Park will have a new voice this season: SF Giants, Renel Brooks-Moon part ways
SF Giants-Rockies: Keaton Winn makes long-awaited debut, Logan Webb goes six
Alex Cobb’s ambitious rehab: How SF Giants’ starter hurried back from hip surgery
Playing the waiting game paid off for the Giants, who now feature the top two finishers in last year’s National League Cy Young voting at the top of their rotation.
One of three pitchers to win the award in both leagues, Snell should slot into the No. 2 spot in the rotation behind Logan Webb, boosting a group that has two starters rehabbing from surgeries (Alex Cobb, Robbie Ray), another lost to injury this spring (Tristan Beck), another limited by injury this spring (Keaton Winn) and two more who have combined to start 15 games in the major leagues (Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison).
Under Melvin in San Diego last season, Snell’s effectively wild style of pitching led to the unique distinction of leading the National League with a 2.25 ERA but also with 99 walks. Using his dominant arsenal, though, he also allowed the fewest hits per nine innings and stranded the most runners on base, ultimately receiving 28 of the 30 possible first-place in the Cy Young voting, the second of his career, having previously won the award as a 25-year-old with the Rays in 2018.
“He’s probably got the best stuff in the game,” catcher Patrick Bailey said last September, after Snell blanked the Giants for six innings. “Really good breaking ball, really good changeup, really good fastball. Pitch 113 or 114 was like 98 (mph). As a hitter, you have to stay aggressive because it’s good stuff and it’s a powerful fastball, but at the same time if you’re too aggressive and you’re chasing it’s exactly what he’s looking for. He’s a tough AB.”
