Cy Young Winner Refutes Reported Offseason Offer From Yankees

This Cy Young winner denied that the Yankees made him a specific offer that was reported in the offseason.

Jul 14, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Blake Snell (7) delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins during the second inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports / D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees had discussions with reigning NL Cy Young winner Blake Snell in the offseason, who was a free agent at the time, but a deal was never struck.

Snell did receive an offer from the Yankees, as he indicated on Monday to Foul Territory, but he is denying that it was for $150 million, which was reported back in March.

"What they offered wasn't close to that"@snellzilla4 says the offseason reports about the @Yankees offering him $150 Million were not true. pic.twitter.com/Ikhb2ZEHbJ

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) August 5, 2024

"What they offered wasn't close to that," Snell said of what the Yankees offered him this past winter.

Now, the Yankees are in the 110 percent luxury-tax threshold, so any contract for Snell would have doubled in value thanks to the penalty of being in this bracket.

The same road block came up at this year's trade deadline when the San Francisco Giants were fielding calls on Snell. Not only did the Giants want another team to pay the lefty ace's salary down, which includes a $30 million player option for 2025, but they wanted a top-100 prospect as well.

As MLB insider Jon Heyman of The New York Post reported, the Yankees did check in on Snell ahead of the deadline, but were never serious suitors due to his player option. Had the Yankees acquired Snell and he later exercised his option for next season, they would have had to pay a total of $63 million.

This would make things a lot more difficult for the Yankees, who are hoping to retain superstar outfielder Juan Soto on a long-term deal. Soto will be a free agent after the 2024 season concludes and could draw a contract well north of $500 million.