Potential Baltimore Orioles Free-Agent Target, Agent Taking New Approach

The Baltimore Orioles certainly talk with this free agent, but his agent will do whatever it takes to get him paid.

Aug 23, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; San Francisco Giants starter Blake Snell (7) delivers a pitch during the third inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. / Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles have been linked to about every starting pitcher on the market this winter. If the club were to lose Corbin Burnes, the need for an ace would be clear.

Until the right-hander decides what he plans to do, the Orioles will continue to be linked to many of the top arms available. One could also argue that even if he returns, there's still a need for another high-level arm. 

Blake Snell is arguably the second-best on the market. With his resume, one could suggest he's the top guy available. He's been one of the better starters in baseball for much of his career, one that includes two Cy Young awards. But there are reasons his market was quieter than some expected last year.

The most obvious concern is Snell doesn't pitch late into games, his no-hitter earlier this season aside. Teams want starters who could go into the seventh or eighth inning, and while it isn't as big a deal as it once was, part of an ace's job is to help give the bullpen a breather. 

Snell, unfortunately, hasn't consistently done that. 

That's why David Schoenfield of ESPN believes Scott Boras, his agent, will have to take a different approach this winter. He writes that Boras and Snell "... probably will play it differently this time." The strategy last offseason yielded only one serious long-term offer, reportedly from the New York Yankees, but Snell turned it down hoping for more.

He signed a two-year deal with an opt-out for 2025, which he exercised after he overcame injuries in the first half to put together a terrific second half after he returned on July 9, as Schoenfield pointed out:

(Snell had a) 1.23 ERA and .382 OPS allowed over his 14 final starts. That stretch continues a career-long trend of Snell's where he pitches much better in the second half — and is capable of these epic unhittable runs: see 2018 (1.25 ERA over final 16 starts), 2021 (1.83 ERA over final eight starts), 2022 (2.19 ERA over final 14 starts) and 2023 (1.23 ERA over final 21 starts).

Last offseason, nothing went as planned in free agency. That isn't supposed to be the case this time around.

Because Snell showed some of those same flaws during the campaign, why would a club feel differently about him than they did 12 months ago? If anything, his injuries at the start of the year might make teams more hesitant than ever.