Padres News: Blake Snell Joins Exclusive List With Hall of Fame Pitcher After Dominant Stretch

Snell's season is reaching ridiculous heights.

Although the Padres have not had the 2023 season fans had hoped for, starting pitcher Blake Snell is having one of the best seasons of his career, and will likely end the season as the National League Cy Young winner for the 2023 season.

Snell leads all of Major League Baseball with a 2.25 ERA and 234 strikeouts across 32 starts. His only better season came in 2018, when he won the American League Cy Young award with a 1.89 ERA with the Tampa Bay Rays.

With his four-hit, zero ER performance against the San Francisco Giants Monday night, Snell made MLB history, becoming just the second pitcher with a sub-1.20 ERA across a 23-start span in a single season during the live-ball era.

MLB pitchers with an ERA of 1.20 or lower over a 23-start span in a single season, live-ball era (since 1920):

Bob Gibson, 1968 Cardinals (0.85)
Blake Snell, 2023 @Padres (1.20) pic.twitter.com/e9b87J86bT

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) September 26, 2023

Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals is the only pitcher with a lower ERA across a 23-start span, holding a 0.85 ERA in 1968.

Over his last 23 starts, Snell has allowed multiple runs just six times, the most being three runs against the Dodgers and against the Marlins. The likely Cy Young winner has been dominant despite leading the MLB in walks allowed.

After such a dominant performance, Snell will likely attract a hefty contract in the offseason. The upcoming free agent is sure to have teams clamoring for his signature. 

It is unclear if the Padres will pursue re-signing Snell in free agency, although the pitcher has made it clear that he would like to remain in San Diego. After spending the third-most money in baseball this season, the Friars could play it more conservatively ahead of the 2024 season.