2023 NL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell is still navigating MLB Free Agency. The former San Diego Padres star is still without a team despite rumors surrounding the Houston Astros. One other team, the San Francisco Giants, have someone who is familiar with the veteran hurler. And manager Bob Melvin had rather heartfelt words for Snell on Sunday.
Melvin was asked about the Giants and their interest in the NL Cy Young Award winner. The San Francisco skipper kept his words short and sweet. But he didn’t make a recruiting pitch. Rather, he urged Snell to pick a team that’s best for him. “I want Blake to go somewhere he’s happy. He’s a terrific kid and a good pitcher,” Melvin said, via New York Post reporter Jon Heyman.
Snell spent the last three seasons with the Padres. It wasn’t until 2023 that the left-hander finally found his footing. The 31-year-old posted a 6.0 WAR, 2.25 ERA, and 234 strikeouts in 180 innings pitched for San Diego last year. He won the second Cy Young of his career and his first in the National League.
Bob Melvin’s Giants could be a fit for Blake Snell
The Giants have had a rather active MLB Free Agency. San Francisco landed a big name in Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee this winter. After that, the team added to their rotation by acquiring Robbie Ray from the Seattle Mariners. San Francisco went on to add veteran bats Jorge Soler and Matt Chapman to their lineup.
Despite their activity, questions remain in the team’s starting rotation. Injuries have plagued many of the team’s potential starting options, including Ray. In fact, one report from FanSided insider Robert Murray noted that a rival evaluator said the Giants have “only 2.5 starting pitchers.”
Signing Blake Snell to a short-term contract could help matters. The NL Cy Young winner is familiar with Bob Melvin from their days with the Padres. And his arrival would help the team weather the storm in the early months of the season before some of their other options return.
Melvin wants what’s best for one of his former players. Snell, meanwhile, is looking for a new home with only a few weeks left before the start of the 2024 season. It’ll certainly be interesting to see if the Giants are the team that lands Snell with just a few weeks left until Opening Day.
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