There is 1 move the SF Giants absolutely have to make this offseason

Last season was a roller-coaster ride for the SF Giants and ace Blake Snell. But when it was all said and done, the lefty was one of the best pitchers in the game. The Giants have a need for pitching and retaining Snell should be the top priority.

There is 1 move the SF Giants absolutely have to make this offseason

After the team failed to take advantage of his trade value over the MLB Trade Deadline, it is now imperative that Snell spends the rest of his career in San Francisco. The team should make him their main priority in free agency. 

Perhaps, one reason that people do not seem to want him back is that he skipped the season's final start. This happens all the time. When you’re about to hit free agency and the team is out of playoff contention, why should he have risked getting hurt? This was not the first time this has happened and certainly won’t be the last. 

Speaking of injuries. Snell also dealt with a pair of stints on the injured list after he signed late in the winter and the team rushed him to be in the rotation. It’s safe to say that both sides should’ve learned from this and Snell would give the lefty a full Spring Training, which was something he didn’t have. 

It also bears repeating that Snell is one of just a few players in baseball history to win a Cy Young Award in both leagues. This is just a theory but a pitcher with two Cy Youngs and being from the state of Washington has worked before.

It’s also important to note that Snell has always been a dominating pitcher in the second half of the season. This was no different in 2024. In the first half of the season, he had a rough 6.31 ERA and an 0-3 mark in just 8 starts.

In the second half, Snell made 12 starts and had a stellar 1.45 ERA during that stretch. He also threw his first career complete game as part of a no-hitter. In that same span, he was 5-0. In the second half, Snell is always at his best as he allowed just 12 earned runs across 68 ⅓ innings of work. Besides the no-hitter, the left-hander also dominated the Orioles on the final road trip of the season.  

All of this should make Snell priority number one for the Giants because Juan Soto is not going to happen. There are a bunch of ace-level arms on this market, so the Giants must come away with one of these guys. Snell would qualify in this category. 

If the Giants are going to retain Snell, they will have to pay a hefty price. It has been reported that there are a plethora of teams interested in his services. Those interested so far include the Dodgers and Red Sox who have already met with Snell, according to MLB Trade Rumors.

The Mets have also been connected to Snell. There are also a few doomsday destinations such as the Mets or Dodgers.

However, the one thing the Giants have to lean on is the fact that Snell has now spent a season in San Francisco. It also helps that Oracle Park is one of the most pitcher-friendly parks in the game, which has turned away some hitters but it should undoubtedly help lure pitchers.