Blake Snell defends super-agent following Diamondbacks SP's criticism

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Blake Snell is backing up his agent (Scott Boras) after Arizona Diamondbacks hurler Jordan Montgomery recently criticized the 71-year-old.

Montgomery was a client of Boras until April before he broke up after a rough offseason that saw the lefty finally agree to a one-year, $25M deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 28 (Opening Day). He helped lead the Texas Rangers to their first World Series title in October but was one of four Boras-represented players who had surprisingly difficult times finding a new home over the winter.

Outfielder Cody Bellinger opted out of his deal with the Chicago Cubs in November before re-signing with the club in late February. Third baseman Matt Chapman signed a one-year, $18M contract with the San Francisco Giants in early March, a deal that includes player options for 2025 and 2026 and a mutual option for 2027. Snell joined the Giants on March 19 via a two-year, $62M contract with an opt-out after 2024.

In a recent interview with the Boston Herald, the Arizona starter said that Boras "kind of butchered" his free agency.

"My experience with Scott has been great," Snell said on Sunday, via Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic. "He told me everything that was happening, all the offers I got. So for him to just get bashed for what I believe is false, that’s not fair at all. I really strongly believe that."

It was reported in mid-March that Bellinger, Chapman and Snell had fallen over $150M short of predictions in guaranteed money on the offseason contracts they eventually signed.

"I’ve seen how (Montgomery) struggled, but he signed the deal that he ultimately wanted to sign," the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner said. "He has the choice. I don’t know what other deals he was offered, but I know everything that was offered to me. It’s just sad that he thinks that way when I see Scott as a very honorable man."

After a tough start to the year that included a trip to the injured list in April, Snell has turned things around big time. He's just 2-3 across 15 starts but has a 3.76 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 106 strikeouts in 79 innings pitched. Before his most recent outing on Saturday, Snell had gone at least five innings and allowed three or fewer runs in eight straight starts.

Montgomery, meanwhile, is a respectable 8-6 but has struggled all year. His 6.44 ERA and 1.67 WHIP across 19 starts are both the worst marks of his career, outside of the 2019 campaign when he appeared in just two games.