Padres Predicted to Sign Projected $110 Million Ace in Blockbuster Deal

Maren Angus-Coombs | Nov 10, 2024

Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

The San Diego Padres could bring Blake Snell back.

Snell opted not to stay with the Giants in 2025, positioning him as one of the top five free agents available.

When that happened, a reunion with the Padres seemed more likely.

The Padres hesitated to bring Snell back last offseason due to cost-cutting measures and confidence in their rotation after the Soto trade. However, with Joe Musgrove set to miss all of 2025 following Tommy John surgery, and Dylan Cease and Michael King entering their final year of arbitration eligibility, re-signing Snell on a semi-long-term deal could be the smart move.

Snell has been dominant at Petco Park, posting a 2.87 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 12.4 strikeouts per nine innings across 43 career starts. Spending another five years in that environment could help him capture a third Cy Young award and elevate his Hall of Fame prospects. However, with an average of under 122 innings per season so far, making it to Cooperstown would still be a stretch.

Despite a rough start to the 2024 season, Snell solidified his position among MLB's top pitchers.

After joining the San Francisco Giants near Opening Day, Snell struggled to fully prepare for the season. He posted a 9.51 ERA in his first six starts and also dealt with lower-body injuries, leading to two trips to the injured list.

After coming off his second stint on the injured list in July, the southpaw was nearly unhittable, posting an impressive 1.23 ERA over his final 14 starts, which included a no-hitter against the Reds on Aug. 2. This late-season dominance mirrored his strong finish to 2023 when he recorded a 1.20 ERA over his last 23 starts.

Snell is anticipated to attract attention from several major market teams. According to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, the San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, and Toronto Blue Jays are all potential suitors. Additionally, an industry source informed Katie Woo and Will Sammon of The Athletic that the Rangers may also be in the running, though the level of interest from both Toronto and Texas will depend on Snell's asking price.

Feinsand reported that Snell’s next contract is expected to surpass the $27 million annual average value (AAV) of Carlos Rodón’s six-year deal with the Yankees, signed before the 2023 season. However, given that Snell will be entering his age-32 season, his deal may include fewer guaranteed years.