Guardians Named Best Potential Landing Spot for San Francisco Giants Ace

Would the Cleveland Guardians be a good landing spot for San Francisco Giants ace Blake Snell?

Sep 17, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Blake Snell (7) throws a second inning pitch against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The San Francisco Giants are looking to try and bounce back from a few poor seasons in 2025, as they have new leadership at the top that they hope will help with that. 

For the last three seasons, the Giants have missed the postseason, and that resulted in some changes, as Buster Posey took over as the President of Baseball Operations. 

San Francisco doesn’t currently have a great farm system, as they are going to be relying on free agency to turn this thing around. However, they have been unable to lure in superstars in recent years. 

Last offseason, the Giants signed Blake Snell very late, as he struggled to get the big deal he was hoping for. However, after a slow start to the season with injuries, Snell ended up pitching very well down the stretch. 

The southpaw has an opt-out clause in his contract that will allow him to test free agency again this winter, and he will likely utilize it. If he does opt out, Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report recently named the Cleveland Guardians as the best potential landing spot for him. 

“Left-hander Blake Snell only pitched beyond six innings three times in 32 starts during his Cy Young season in 2023, and he has posted elite-level numbers throughout his career while often making early exits from his starts. For a Cleveland team in serious need of starting pitching help and with a stacked relief corps, only going five or six innings is not a concern, as it has the late-inning pieces to protect a lead. It would be a major expenditure for a Guardians team that generally avoids splashy additions, but with the talent to contend for a title if it can make a few significant outside pickups, now is the time to spend and Snell is the perfect target.”

Snell going to the Guardians would make a lot of sense, as despite having a great season, they didn’t have the starting pitching that really put much fear into opposing teams. 

Cleveland has an excellent bullpen, which would pair well with Snell, as he isn’t notorious for going deep into games. 

Whether or not the Guardians would want to spend on a pitcher like Snell would be the question, and they don’t have a reputation for pursuing big-name free agents. However, if they choose to, the left-hander would have a very positive impact on the team.