Blake Snell Reportedly Has ‘Strong Preference’ to Play For West Coast Team, But Not The Dodgers

Snell's free agency could be coming to an end soon.

The Dodgers front office has built one of the better-starting rotations this offseason, but as the old saying goes, a team can never have enough pitching help. This has caused many fans to speculate on whether or not Los Angeles should pursue free-agent starter Blake Snell.

Snell is still on the open market, as he waits for a free agent contract that he deems is worth his value. He is the reigning Cy Young Award winner, but no team has come close to matching his reported $200 million ask. 

According to ESPN's Buster Olney, Snell has a "strong preference" to play for a team on the West Coast. Unfortunately, that team isn't the Dodgers but rather their neighbors just down the I-5 freeway, the Angels.

"I'm hearing that Blake Snell's preference -- strong preference -- is to go to the Angels," Olney said during Thursday's edition of the Baseball Tonight podcast. "There [has] been back-and-forth with that team. That's where I think he's going to land."

Per Buster Olney via MLB.com

It was always a long shot for Snell to become a member of the Dodgers, so this makes a lot of sense. The Angels have been connected to him for most of the offseason, and they could use another big-time starter after losing Shohei Ohtani.

Los Angeles would love to see Snell land with the Halos, as it would mean that they wouldn't have to face him often. Snell has killed the Dodgers in the past, whether he was with the Tampa Bay Rays or most currently, the rival San Diego Padres. 

As with everything related to free agency, things are fluid. But it seems that the sweepstakes to land Snell may be coming to a conclusion sooner rather than later.