Blake Snell cites Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Mookie Betts’ presence in lineup influencing his decision (Source – IMAGN)
The Los Angeles Dodgers have made the biggest free agent deal of this off-season so far after signing Blake Snell to a 5-year, $182 million contract last week. The two-time Cy Young Award winner stated that the Dodgers have three future Hall of Fame players at the top of their lineup in Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman, and they played a big role for him in choosing to sign for the team.
Blake Snell had entered the 2024 season as a free agent after claiming the National League Cy Young Award with the San Diego Padres. Yet, he did not receive a lucrative long-term contract and remained unsigned until spring training. Eventually, Snell penned a two-year, $62 million contract for the San Francisco Giants with an opt-out clause that he exercised at the end of the campaign.
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Dodgers officially unveiled Blake Snell wearing a team uniform in a press conference at Dodger Stadium. He underlined the reasons why he preferred to join the Dodgers during an interview for MLB Network.
“They just won the World Series,” Snell said. “My goal is to win the World Series. The lineup is a big thing. They’ve got three Hall of Famers at the top of the lineup. Why would you not want to pitch for that team?
“And then you go on to their pitching and their bullpen,” he added. “What their bullpen did in the postseason is crazy. So, looking at all that and talking to Andrew [Friedman, the Dodgers president of baseball operations], and how I’ve known Andrew my whole career. That’s something that was very exciting for me. So, it’s kind of everything pieced together, but they’re just a really good team.”
I had so much to catch up on: Blake Snell on his stint with the Giants
Blake Snell had an oustanding second half to the 2024 season for the Giants (Image Source: Imagn)
Despite being a reigning Cy Young Award winner, Blake Snell remained a free agent until he signed with the San Francisco Giants in March. He feels that joining the Los Angeles Dodgers early on in the off-season will allow him to produce his best for the team.
“I didn’t have a spring training, so I didn’t really have a game plan,” he said on signing with the Giants. “Just because of me signing so late, I had so much to catch up on. Compare it to now; I know where I’m going to be: showing up to spring training early. I’m already talking about the game plan now instead of when the season starts.
“So, there are just so many more advantages that I have now, knowing where I’m going to be. I can buy a home instead of renting a home. That’s a big deal,” he added. “Just, kind of, get comfortable and be the best man I can be.”
Blake Snell made a dreadful start to his season with the Giants before bouncing back strongly in the second half to post the best figures among all starting pitchers during that period.
