Blake Snell Rumors: NL West team linked with star pitcher after recent moves, per report

With the end of the offseason approaching, left-handed starter Blake Snell is still available in the free agency. Throughout the offseason, the star player has made headlines several times due to the rumors of teams' interest in signing him.

One team that Snell has been linked to several times since the beginning of this offseason is the San Francisco Giants. According to Mark Powell of the Fansided, the team once again seems to be interested in the lefty.

Powel said that the NL West team previously showed interest in signing Blake Snell, but his contract demands were too expensive for them at the time. He added that “this is the perfect time for the Giants front office to strike,” with the market sure to get more active with the recent Corbin Burnes trade.

The NL Cy Young winner is the top pitcher still available in the free market and is reportedly expecting a deal in the range of $270 million for up to nine years, as per The Athletic. Blake Snell is represented by Scott Boras, who has a record of waiting until late in the market to get a bigger deal for his clients.

Even though the star pitcher is on the Giants’ radar, it would not be surprising if they didn’t decide to sign him. Considering the high price tag and long-term nature of Snell’s contract, which the team’s front office has always been careful about, it is highly unlikely for the Giants to agree to the 31-year-old's terms.

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NL West Giants recently traded starter Ross Stripling to the Athletics

On Feb. 2, the SF Giants agreed to a trade with the Oakland Athletics, sending right-handed Ross Stripling along with cash considerations in exchange for outfield prospect Jonah Cox. According to Andrew Baggarly of the Athletic, the Giants sent $3.25 million in the trade to cover Stripling’s $12.5 million salary.

The righty was expected to be a key player in the San Francisco Giants roster when he signed a two-year, $25 million deal with them in December 2022. Due to his back injury the previous season, he had a record of 0 wins and five losses with a 5.36 ERA in 22 appearances.