MLB Insider Ranks San Francisco Giants Left-Hander Among Top Free Agents

The San Francisco Giants will likely have plenty of competition for their top left-hander pitcher in the offseason.

Aug 17, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Blake Snell (7) walks on the field while wearing a hat as part of player’s weekend before the game against the Oakland Athletics at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Two months ago it looked like Blake Snell would probably return to the San Francisco Giants.

Now? It looks like he’s on his way out the door.

Even before USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that Snell planned to opt out of his deal with the Giants, there was a strong belief, based on his performance, that he would do so.

The Athletic’s Jim Bowden believes Snell will opt out and ranked the left-hander No. 5 in his Top 50 free agents entering the offseason.

A season after Snell found nothing but disappointment in free agency, Bowden believes the 31-year-old, two-time Cy Young winner will get the deal he’s looking for this time around.

“…too many teams are looking for a top-of-the-rotation starter,” Bowden said.

After battling injuries during the first three months of the season, a result of a truncated spring training as he tried to find a new contract, Snell has pitched like the hurler that won the National League Cy Young last season with San Diego.

In his last seven starts he is 2-0 with a 1.14 ERA with 67 strikeouts and 13 walks in 47.1 innings. He’s only given up six earned runs in that span.

After San Francisco did not trade Snell at the deadline, he went out and threw his first career no-hitter against Cincinnati on Aug. 2. He struck out 11 and walked three while throwing 114 pitches.

He’s coming off a no-decision against Oakland on Sunday in which he struck out 10 in seven innings. He’s now thrown 100 or more pitches in four of his last five games

Snell and his agent, Scott Boras, struggled to find a country last offseason and he ultimately signed a two-year deal in March, with the 2024 portion worth $32 million in signing bonus and base salary. That contract comes with a 2025 option that belongs to Snell.

If he triggers the option he’ll get $30 million to pitch for San Francisco one more season before re-entering free agency.

If Snell chooses to test the market again, he’ll go back into it as one of the top-ranked pitchers once again.

No matter what his overall record will look like this season, teams will be interested. He’s one of the few pitchers in baseball history to win a Cy Young in both leagues. He led the American League in victories in 2018 with Tampa Bay and has led the Majors in ERA twice. He’s an All-Star and was All-First Team MLB last season.