The Los Angeles Angels had been in a quiet pursuit of reigning National League Cy Young winner Blake Snell for the entire offseason. Initially, it appeared that Angels owner Arte Moreno would not concede to Snell’s $200 million price tag, but as the offseason wore on and Snell remained unsigned, belief grew league-wide that he may end up in Anaheim.
Throughout the offseason, the Angels were seen as top contenders for Snell alongside the San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees. In the final days before signing, the Houston Astros came through as a potential landing spot given the significant injuries to their starting rotation.
The Snell saga finally came to an end on Monday when the two-time Cy Young winner agreed to a two-year, $62 million deal with the Giants according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post:
Breaking: Snell to the Giants. $62M, 2 years. Opt out.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 19, 2024
It is a disappointing outcome for Angels fans who were hoping that Snell could come in and be an immediate ace. It is especially so given that Snell’s deal is effectively a one-year, $31 million deal with a player option on the second season. This is not the type of long-term commitment that owner Arte Moreno is usually wary of and the price tag is not historic by any stretch for a Cy Young winning pitcher.
The Giants, meanwhile, add Snell to a rotation that only had four solid options in Logan Webb, Kyle Harrison, Jordan Hicks and Keaton Winn. Snell becomes the ace in San Francisco as they try and push toward the postseason.
As for the Angels, they enter the 2024 season with a relatively set five-man rotation now that Snell is not joining. Tyler Anderson, Reid Detmers, Griffin Canning, Patrick Sandoval and Chase Silseth figure to be the five-man crew with Jose Soriano also heavily involved in the rotation.
There is reason for optimism with this young and talented group, but the ceiling is certainly not as high as it could have been had Snell jumped on board.
Jose Soriano going back to Angels bullpen
Soriano had spent Spring Training being stretched out as a starter, but a shoulder injury to Robert Stephenson is threatening to place him on the Injured List to begin the season. If that’s the case, Soriano goes back to the bullpen despite the long-term plan to have him as a starter.
