SF Giants? Not the favorites for Blake Snell? Nonsense! Officially, formally nonsense.
On Monday night, the SF Giants added one more blockbuster deal to their secretly potent offseason, taking advantage of Scott Boras' lull by signing reigning Cy Young winner Blake Snell to a two-year deal worth $62 million.
There's an opt-out in the deal after Year 1, per reports from New York Post MLB insider Jon Heyman, meaning Snell's tenure by the Bay could last exactly one season, allowing him to reenter free agency and flirt with a longer-term contract next winter.
But, for now, all that is irrelevant. The Giants and Farhan Zaidi declared their offseason spending capped multiple times this winter, strongly hinting that they could no longer extend themselves.
For just one year at a somewhat affordable rate, though? They found room, pulling off Boras double duty after signing Matt Chapman a few weeks back (in addition to Jung Hoo Lee right when the offseason began).
SF Giants sign Blake Snell: Grades, Immediate Reaction
Immediate reaction? A. A-Grade addition and A-Grade, palatable price.
Add it to Chapman, Lee, and Jorge Soler -- and dice rolls on Robbie Ray and Jordan Hicks -- and the Giants spent as extravagantly this summer as any team not named the Los Angeles Dodgers. And they didn't even have to explore any deferrals!
The deal comes a few days after the SF Giants reportedly attended a workout where Snell threw for interested teams, the type of charade the reigning Cy Young winner doesn't typically have to put forth following 180 innings of 2.25 ERA baseball. Clearly, he looked somewhat close to Opening Day-ready, though the Giants will likely have to wait slightly longer than that to see their $62 million (or, uh, $31 million) man in action.
Thanks, once again, to the Yankees' luxury tax payments, Houston's trepidation about passing the final tier, and Arte Moreno being Arte Moreno. Those helpful puzzle pieces, along with the Giants' genial relationship with Boras, led to a soft landing for all parties far later than it should've. Congratulations, Blake. You're going to like it here.