Padres News: Blake Snell Officially Named Finalist for Major End of Season Award

A special year from a special player.

The 2023 San Diego Padres didn’t have a lot to cheer about over the course of the year, and they ultimately would love to forget this season entirely. But one player left a special mark on the year, and he will likely be cemented in history for it.

Starting pitcher Blake Snell was awesome for the Padres all season long, and he gave this team something to look forward to each start. He was one of the sole reasons why the fans kept watching the team down the stretch, and it’s unfortunate that he didn’t get a chance to showcase his skills in the postseason.

After the special season that he put together, Snell has been named as a finalist for a MLBPA Choice Award. He is one of three players listed for the National League Outstanding pitcher award, alongside Justin Steele of the Chicago Cubs and Zac Gallen of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The 2023 #PlayersChoiceAwards Finalists 🍿👀 pic.twitter.com/zmjm0ZLOg4

— MLBPA (@MLBPA) October 17, 2023

Snell may be the favorite to win the award, and rightfully so. He was incredible for the better part of the 2023 season, and it will likely lead to him winning his second Cy Young Award, as well.

In 32 starts for the Padres this season, Snell put up an ERA of 2.25 and a WHIP of 1.19. He also struck out 234 batters over 180 innings of work and had a WAR of 6.0.

It was a season for the ages, and at times he looked unhittable out on the mound. His performance all season helped keep the Padres afloat in the standings, despite their issues throughout the year.

He isn’t expected to return to San Diego next season and will be hitting the open market as a free agent. Snell is due for a massive payday, and he is going to make whatever team that signs him very happy.

He is among the best pitchers in the game today and watching him pitch in 2023 was incredibly fun. This MLBPA Choice Award honor isn’t something to be taken lightly and shows just how dominant Snell was all year for the Friars.