Although the Chicago Cubs are reportedly involved in the free-agent starting pitching market, they’re not likely swimming in the deep end of the pool. And even if they were, Blake Snell never felt like their sort of target — just too much risk and variability, albeit alongside the obvious upside. Alas, it matters not, as Blake Snell has reportedly signed a massive FIVE-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Blake Snell Signs with Dodgers
Blake Snell actually broke the news himself with an Instagram post of him in a Dodgers uniform. But Mark Feinsand has the actual report, noting the five-year deal, on X:
And Jon Heyman has the terms.
The deal is shockingly bigger than I expected:
You probably remember that despite winning his second Cy Young award in 2023, Snell didn’t sign a new deal for 2024 until well into Spring Training (Scott Boras overplayed his hand a bit, even if it sort of worked out in this instance). And while his 2024 campaign had a bumpy start, including a couple of stints on the injured list (plus paternity leave), Snell ultimately finished the year with a 3.12 ERA over 20 starts for the San Francisco Giants (including a no-hitter).
Fortunately, that deal he signed in March included an opt-out, which is why he was a free agent again this winter. And this time, he wasn’t interested in playing chicken, signing well before even the Winter Meetings.
As for the deal, itself, this is a LOT of money for Blake Snell, even if some of it is deferred (per initial reports). He’s good, very good even, but the injury history and bouts of ineffectiveness are right there in the open. It’s a perfectly fine risk for the Dodgers, who (1) need starters, (2) have globs of money to spend, and are (3) looking to maximize their near-term window, but I’m not sweating this “whiff” for the Cubs too much. Snell never made much sense for Chicago and he went to a team that was always going to be active in the free-agent market. Also, five years for Snell just feels like too much.
Snell does, however, represent another significant free-agent starting pitcher to come off the market following Yusei Kikuchi. The Cubs are not likely involved in the sweepstakes for Corbin Burnes or Max Fried, but we do think they’re looking to add an impact starter one way or another.
As a reminder, the Dodgers rotation is losing Walker Buehler to free agency, but gaining Shohei Ohtani. They’ll also return Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobo Yamamoto and are favorites for Roki Sasaki. Must be nice.
UPDATE: Snell is getting a massive signing bonus, according to Jon Heyman, alongside the deferrals. So I’m just going to resist the urge to break down this contract and its implications until all of the details are out.
UPDATE II: According to multiple reports, the Yankees, Red Sox, and Orioles were all in on Blake Snell before he signed with the Dodgers. No surprises there, as each of those teams have been deeply connected to Corbin Burnes and Max Fried in free agency (among others in trade).