Blake Snell ended up thousands of miles away from the New York Yankees, and that may have been in part because they willingly let him go.
The reigning NL Cy Young winner agreed to sign with a new MLB team on Monday, landing a two-year, $62 million deal from a West Coast club. It finally ended a months-long holdout by Snell, who was the biggest unsigned free agent left.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported in the aftermath of Snell’s agreement that the Yankees, who were heavily linked to Snell throughout the offseason, offered him $150 million last month.
However, the Yankees eventually pulled that offer and declined to re-enter the sweepstakes on Sunday when Snell’s market heated back up, Nightengale adds.
We know based on previous reporting that the Yankees’ offer was for six years, which would have been an average of $25 million a year. Snell ended up getting $31 million a year but over just two seasons (for a total value of $88 million less than the Yankees’ offer).
The 31-year-old Snell could still end up as a winner in the long run if he produces another strong season in 2024 (he also has an opt-out clause after the first year). But given how much support Snell had from many Yankees, he may ultimately regret not taking that $150 million offer.
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