A move has been made to shake up the NL West. Left-handed pitcher Blake Snell has inked a five-year, $182 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The contract, confirmed late Tuesday night by The Post’s Jon Heyman, will see Snell in the iconic Dodger blue. The agreement, which is pending physical, comes with a $52 million signing bonus.

This deal marks a pivotal moment for Blake Snell; just last year, the left-hander found himself on the free-agent market, but no one was going for the long-term, big-money deal he was hoping for. In fact, he ended up waiting until March before settling for a short-term contract. The Yankees, who were interested in him last year, even put an offer on the table, but Snell ultimately turned them down.

Blake Snell chooses the Dodgers 

One of the key teams the Dodgers beat out for Snell’s services was the Red Sox, who were reportedly in the mix for the former Cy Young winner. That’s a huge blow for Boston; meanwhile, the New York Yankees, who’ve been linked to Blake Snell in the past, were still in the hunt earlier in the day. The Yankees had a Zoom call with Snell before he ultimately chose Los Angeles. But given the Yankees’ focus is on Juan Soto right now, they’re willing to wait for Plan B options while the Dodgers swoop in and make a statement with this signing.

As for Blake Snell, he’s coming off a solid 2024 campaign, where he posted a 3.12 ERA in 20 starts for the San Francisco Giants. With a 5-3 record, Snell continued to showcase the dominant form that earned him the Cy Young back in 2018. But despite the strong numbers, the market for Snell was far from certain last offseason, leading to his short-term deal with the Giants. This late-season performance boosted Blake’s market value, so, it’s no surprise that the Dodgers were willing to put serious money on him. 

The Dodgers have another pitcher to grab

Roki Sasaki, the highly anticipated starting pitcher from Japan, is officially on the market this offseason. Reports have confirmed that he will be posted for MLB teams to bid on. The 23-year-old phenom, often referred to as the “Japanese Babe Ruth” of pitching, has been one of the most dominant forces in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) over the past few seasons. It’s no surprise that his posting will draw interest from all 30 Major League teams, but there’s a strong sense that the Dodgers will be the team to land him. 

Los Angeles has already seen its popularity in Japan soar thanks to the presence of two major stars: Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani. Both played their first seasons with the Dodgers in 2024, making them a destination team for rising Japanese stars like Sasaki. While the Los Angeles Dodgers appear to be the frontrunner in the race for Sasaki, it’s not definite. Sure, there are the advantages of joining a team with strong ties to Japan and the potential for a standout roster, but several factors could complicate the Dodgers’ pursuit.

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One key concern is the potential limitation of Sasaki’s endorsement opportunities in Los Angeles—some worry that he might not be able to fully capitalize on the marketing potential. Another hurdle for the Dodgers is their limited international bonus pool. MLB teams are restricted by the amount of money they can allocate to international signings, and the Dodgers’ pool is smaller than some other teams.

So, while the Dodgers have landed Blake Snell, do you think they could sign Sasaki too? Share your take in the comments below.