Snell’s strong preference to play for the Angels.
March 9: Snell’s strong preference to play for the Angels
The Giants, Phillies, Yankees and Angels have all been attached to National League Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell in current weeks. Also, there may be some mystery teams in the auction. The level of interest in each club’s left-hander is difficult to gauge, but according to ESPN’s Buster Olney, Snell’s strong preference in joining the Angels.
March 9: Snell’s strong preference to play for this club and Marlins talk to JD Martinez
The Marlins are in talks with at present denominated hitter JD Martinez, according to Craig Mish of the Miami Herald. Adding Martinez would make feeling for Miami, which untraced free-agent slugger Jorge Soler to the Giants previous month.
However, Mies said the 36-year-old Martinez “isn’t fit, at least right now” because the Marlins would prefer to use multiple players at DH, including Josh Bell and Jake Berger. Avisail Garcia may also see more reps at that spot this year.
Martinez is coming off his most originative season since 2019 as he hit 33 homers and recorded an .893 OPS in 113 plays for the Dodgers. He is require a two-year deal, a source told Mish.
Snell’s strong preference to play for this club in baseball :
March 4: Growing interest in Snell, Montgomery?
The regular season starts in just a few weeks for all clubs, and Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery are still on the open market. A handful of teams have recently joined left-handers; MLB Network insider John Paul Morosi said Monday that the Yankees are a possibility for Snell. Morosi also said the Angels are a potential landing spot for every starter.
The Giants have been mentioned as well, and it seems the number of clubs in Montgomery and Snell’s strong preference is growing. Scott Boras, the agent for both players, said Monday that four new teams have contacted him about the pitcher since spring training began.
The identities of this teams are unfamiliar, but given the injuries that came up during spring training, it makes feeling that clubs that didn’t have Snell or Montgomery on their radar over the winter are now Envisage a rotation upgrade.
March 1: Giants ‘need help’ in rotation — Snell or Montgomery?
With spring training right weeks far away, the Giants have already dealt with injuries to two members of their projected starting revolution. No. 4 starter Keaton Wynn was sidelined with mild right elbow soreness, while No. 5 starter Tristan Beck will be unavailable for at least the start of the season because of an aneurysm in his upper arm.
San Francisco is down two-fifths of a rotation that includes National League Cy Young Award runner-up Logan Webb, rookie Kyle Harrison and free-agent signing Jordan Hicks, who will stretch to become starters during spring training. Starters Robbie Ray (Tommy John surgery) and Alex Cobb (hip surgery) could come-back half-way through the season.
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletics, the Giants should pursue other free-agent starters including Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery and right-hander Michael Lorenzen.
“They need help,” Rosenthal said Thursday on “Foul Territory.” “No question about it.”
Even after their three-year deal with third baseman Matt Chapman, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported that the Giants were “still very high” on Snell’s strong preference.
Rosenthal reports for The Athletic that teams may be hesitant to sign Snell, the reigning NL Cy Young winner, to a contract with an opt-out after the first year — which was included in the Cubs’ deal with outfielder Cody, Bellinger and the Giants’ deals with Chapman. . .
Since Snell received and declined a qualifying offer from the Padres, any team other than San Diego that would sign the left-hander would have to give up at least one draft pick. That would be a potential cost to a club if Snell were to opt out after just one season.