Blake Snell Update: Yankees make contract offer to Cy Young winner, per MLB insider
Blake Snell remains arguably the most sought-after free agent remaining on the open market. The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner has been patient this offseason when it comes to selecting a new team. However, it appears that one club has officially made a contract offer.
"Yankees make contract offer to Blake Snell as pitching pursuit heats up" - @nypostsports
That team is the New York Yankees. According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, the Yankees have made an opening offer to Blake Snell in hopes of adding him to their pitching rotation. There have been no specifics on the offer or how much Snell is looking to land on his new contract. However, if the Yankees were able to land him, it could be massive.
Snell is coming off the second Cy Young Award-winning season of his career, but even after all of his success last year, remains without a contract. It was originally reported that the veteran was waiting until the free agencies of both Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto were finished before signing.
This strategy may pay off handsomely for the former San Diego Padres starter given the incredible value of contracts that were handed out to Ohtani and Yamamoto. There is a chance that will be Snell's final lucrative contract, so waiting may have seen his salary rise as teams get more desperate to bolster their pitching rotations.
"Cole, Snell, Stroman, Rodon, Cortes lock it in @Yankees" - @HoodieCortes
The New York Yankees were linked to both Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani earlier this offseason, so they may be more willing to pay up in order to land Blake Snell before another team does. If Snell were to join the Yankees, he would form a devastating tandem with fellow American League Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole.
A closer look at Blake Snell's tremendous 2023 season
The 30-year-old posted a 14-9 record with a league-leading 2.25 ERA while also racking 234 strikeouts over 180.0 innings, claiming the second Cy Young Award of his career. These numbers are more impressive considering the disappointing season that the San Diego Padres endured, missing the postseason altogether.
Snell joins Gaylord Perry, Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, Roy Halladay, and Max Scherzer as the only pitchers to have won the award in both leagues.