Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell finally made a decision on where he’ll play next year as the starting pitcher signed a two-year, $62 million deal with the San Francisco Giants on Monday night, according to ESPN.
Snell cut it close, waiting until just 10 days before the Giants played their first game to come on board.
A client of notoriously hard-negotiating agent Scott Boras, Snell had reportedly been pushing for a massive nine-year, $270 million contract all offseason, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.
He’ll now head to a San Francisco squad that’s been freshly restocked like a trout farm in the middle of fishing season.
Reigning National League Cy Young winner Blake Snell and the San Francisco Giants are in agreement on a two-year, $62 million contract that includes an opt-out after the first season, a source tells ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 19, 2024
The Giants made a flurry of high-profile moves this offseason. They signed Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee to a six-year, $113 million deal in December. They followed it up by adding flamethrowing pitcher Jordan Hicks on a four-year, $44 million deal in January.
Then, in February, they brought in another slugger, hard-hitting outfielder Jorge Soler.
San Fran appeared to be done with their big moves until March rolled around and there were numerous big names still left on the market. Earlier in the month the Giants signed another Boras client who was looking for big money, third baseman Matt Chapman, to a three-year, $54 million contract.
Snell’s deal, like Chapman’s, allows him to opt out after the 2024 season if he so chooses, according to ESPN. (RELATED: Yankee Fans Panic After Their Two Biggest Stars Gerrit Cole And Aaron Judge Get Bad Injury News)
The lefty is coming off an impressive season in which he earned his second Cy Young Award with the San Diego Padres. His previous award came when he was a member of the American League’s Tampa Bay Rays, making him just the seventh player in MLB history to win the award with a team in each league.
SAN DIEGO, CA – AUGUST 5: Blake Snell #4 of the San Diego Padres pitches during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 5, 2023 at Petco Park in San Diego, California. Denis Poroy/Getty Images
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 27: Former San Diego Padres pitcher Blake Snell poses with the 2023 National League Cy Young Award during the 2024 BBWAA Awards Dinner at New York Hilton Midtown on January 27, 2024 in New York City. Sarah Stier/Getty Images
Snell pitched to a lights-out 2.25 earned run average, which led the National League. He also racked up 234 strikeouts in 180 innings pitched.