One Clear Threat Emerging as San Francisco Giants Ace Enters Free Agency

With players entering free agency, one clear threat has emerged to steal San Francisco Giants ace.

Aug 12, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Blake Snell (7) walks off the mound during the fifth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Oracle Park. / Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

San Francisco Giants superstar pitcher Blake Snell has officially elected to enter the MLB free agency market this offseason.

While the Giants would love to find a way to re-sign him, they are going to face a lot of competition. Snell will be one of the top starting pitchers available in free agency.

Snell started off the 2024 MLB season slow for San Francisco. He dealt with multiple injury issues and was hampered in the early stage of the year. However, by the end of the season, he had found his stride.

When everything was said and done, Snell ended up making 20 starts, compiling a 5-3 record to go along with a 3.12 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP, a 3.3 K/BB ratio, and 104.0 innings pitched.

Those numbers show exactly why the 31-year-old ace is expected to have a choice from a long list of interested teams this offseason.

Now, the question becomes, which team could end up stealing Snell from the Giants if he does choose to leave?

One intriguing team has started to emerge as a serious threat to end up signing Snell.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic previously predicted that the Baltimore Orioles would end up signing the star pitcher to a three-year, $105 million contract. At this point in time, they do appear to be the biggest threat to San Francisco when it comes to Snell.

Looking at the Orioles, they could end up losing Corbin Burnes in free agency. If that does end up happening, they would look to pivot quickly and bring in another ace. Snell would fit the bill.

Baltimore also has a very intriguing situation to offer Snell. They were a serious World Series contender in 2024. While they didn't end up making the run that they were expected to make, their future is incredibly bright.

There are plenty of other teams that could get involved and end up stealing Snell. He could simply end up re-signing with the Giants.

However, the Orioles are a team to keep a very close eye on as free agency begins.

Expect to hear a lot of rumors about Snell in the coming days. San Francisco will do everything they can to bring him back and hopefully they're able to accomplish that goal. But, if he does leave town, they'll have to figure out a way to replace him.