Los Angeles Dodgers ‘Dropped the Ball’ by Not Trading for San Francisco Giants Ace

The San Francisco Giants seemed to have made the right decision by not trading their multi-time Cy Young winner.

Aug 7, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Blake Snell (7) pitches against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Nationals Park. / Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco Giants decision to not trade Blake Snell looks to be the right one. The left-hander has been lights out since July 9, lowering his ERA from 9.51 to 4.31. 

There were multiple reasons why Snell struggled the way he did to start the season. He didn't have a Spring Training, he dealt with personal matters, and he couldn't stay off the injury list. However, due to some of the struggles at the beginning of the campaign, there was a chance that the Giants were going to trade him.

They were in a tough situation regarding the standings and still are, but they decided to stay put and attempt to make the playoffs with their current roster, for the most part.

If Snell were traded, the chances of them getting a top-100 prospect seemed almost certain. He's still one of the best pitchers in baseball, despite how we pitched at the beginning of the year, and he threw well prior to the deadline. That was a positive sign for San Francisco if they wanted to part ways. 

Multiple teams must be upset that they didn't trade for him, as he's been even better since the deadline. That's why Zach Pressnell of FanSided wrote that the Los Angeles Dodgers "dropped the ball" by not trading for the Giants ace.

"The Dodgers check all those boxes as well as having an injured pitching staff. Los Angeles opted on making a deal for the ace of the deadline, Jack Flaherty, instead of going after Snell. Flaherty is a cheaper option that has been very good this year and you can't fault the Dodgers for acquiring him. Still, they are likely kicking themselves for not pushing harder for Snell.

"Ultimately, this trade probably never came close to happening, largely because the Giants likely didn't want to trade such a huge talent to their division rival, Los Angeles Dodgers."

While San Francisco would've been heading in a different direction if they decided to trade him, the two-time Cy Young Award winner would've made the Dodgers better than they already are. Trading the best player on the roster to Los Angeles would've been a tough pill to swallow, even if it meant that they'd get back a few high-end prospects in return.

There's a scenario where San Francisco loses him in the offseason. The 31-year-old has player options in 2024 and 2025, which raises some concerns about his future. However, for now, the Giants have him, and he'll need to continue throwing the ball the way he has if they want to find the success they're hoping for.