Does Blake Snell's market extend beyond the Yankees?

No one expected that Blake Snell would still be languishing in free agency at this point.

Snell is coming off of one of the best seasons of his career. He posted an MLB-best 2.25 ERA and a 1.189 WHIP, striking out 234 batters across 180 innings pitched. He won the second Cy Young Award of his career for his performance; And yet, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported that the Yankees are the only known team to have made him an offer for his services.

Other teams have checked in on Snell. Feinsand noted that the Blue Jays, Mets and Red Sox have been linked to him at various points in the offseason. None of those teams had been willing to match Snell's contract demands, especially after he turned down the Yankees' reported six-year, $150 million offer.

Teams have every reason to be skeptical of Snell's 2023 campaign. He has eclipsed 130 innings only one other time in his career — in 2018 when he won the AL Cy Young Award. Snell offset his league-leading 99 walks in 2023 by allowing just 5.8 hits per nine innings. Opponents produced a meager .181/.293/.286 batting line in 742 plate appearances, a mark bolstered by a .256 batting average on balls in play against. His performance appears to be completely unsustainable.

Snell, understandably, is looking to cash in. He is believed to want a contract worth $200 million or more to sign. That is also a price tag that no team has been willing to meet. That may change as spring training approaches — either his demands come down or another team gets desperate enough to meet them. 

It is also possible that the Yankees and Snell revisit those contract talks. They still need another piece in the rotation even with Marcus Stroman on board. As the Yankees are all-in for the 2024 season, the two sides could come together for a deal.