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Blake Snell Buzz Grows Amidst Divisive Free Agency, Yankees Links Grow With Other Teams Interested

Published 01/06/2024, 5:00 PM EST

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Blake Snell is a name dominating the MLB world right now. With his services in high demand, there seems to be a lot of noise surrounding the lefty ace. Snell finished the 2023 season on a high, winning the NL Cy Young award, But now, he is gaining attention for a variety of reasons amidst a hectic free agency. 

Snell is one of the top pitchers available to sign, after one of his best MLB seasons. But despite interest from several teams, a deal has not been struck yet. Furthermore, as rumors about his deal continue to buzz, the debate does as well.

Blake Snell is truly dividing opinion this off-season

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It is safe to say that there have been few pitching free agents that have caused as polarizing debates as Blake Snell has. The 2023 NL Cy Young winner has top insiders debating his potential as an ace and his drawbacks. Furthermore, it has front offices questioning themselves. Despite his 2023 NL Cy Young win, durability, age and walk rate are 3 serious concerns that have teams hesitating over a deal. In fact, New York Post’s Joel Sherman even said he could be either Carlos Rodon or Randy Johnson, signaling the divided opinion over his future play. 

Sherman wrote, “You can convince me that Blake Snell is Carlos Rodon II, Al Leiter or Randy Johnson Lite.” This seems to be a growing debate among other insiders, GM’s and even fans as well. Furthermore, with a massive multi-year deal in the balance, a debate over Snell’s future impact has gained traction. 

Apart from his 2 Cy Young-winning seasons, Blake Snell has been inconsistent with his pitching. He has had 2 seasons with an ERA above 4.2, which is not great. Furthermore, his walk rate is a concern as well. Although pitchers are maintaining their peaks well into their late 30s, Snell’s age remains a concern at 31 years old. Despite this, the New York Yankees lead several teams interested in the lefty ace. 

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Snell has been linked to the Yankees recently 

Blake Snell garnered strong interest from the Los Angeles Angels and San Francisco Giants early in the off-season. But now, the New York Yankees have seemingly taken over the sweepstakes and have been linked to the southpaw pitcher. Although concrete talks may not have taken place yet, there is a lot of buzz surrounding the ace-level talent. 

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I believe that Snell is going to sign a massive long-term deal, possibly in the $150 million to $200 million range. Do you think the discourse surrounding Snell will impact his contract or that of potential suitors?

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Written by:

Pranay Mukherjee

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Pranay Mukherjee is an MLB writer at EssentiallySports, with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. His expertise lies in cheat sheets, post-game analysis, and trade rumors, providing readers with comprehensive coverage of the sport. Pranay is an avid follower of baseball and is a staunch supporter of the Yankees, firmly believing that it is time for the New York team to break their World Series jinx.
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