With the San Francisco Giants in a favorable position to make the postseason, the front has interesting decisions to make. In a scenario where they start to play poorly and fall out of the playoff race before the July trade deadline, even more questions will arise.
If they were to move someone, Blake Snell seems to be the one who could get dealt. Considering how he’s thrown this year and his contract situation, the Giants could land a few prospects and cut their losses.
However, it also wouldn’t be surprising to see them keep him around. While his 9.51 ERA and constant injuries have made it the worst year of his career, Snell is one year removed from winning a Cy Young.
If he can show any hope when he returns, he’d be the perfect addition to this San Francisco rotation.
Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report seems to believe that Snell will get dealt. Miller updated his 2024 MLB trade deadline board, listing the left-hander at No. 6.
“Between the convoluted contract that he’s likely to opt out of this winter, the dreadful start to the year and the adductor and groin injuries already suffered this season, the reigning NL Cy Young recipient might be just about untradeable.
“But if Snell gets healthy and starts to pitch in July as well as he did for most of 2023, surely there would be a few extremely interested parties.”
Miller brings up valid points, but Snell getting healthy is starting to look like something that might not happen.
Ultimately, whatever happens with the Washington native will be decided on how things play out over the next month.
When Snell’s at his best, he’s someone who can post a sub-1.2 WHIP and sub-3.5 ERA. His 2023 season saw him post a 2.25 ERA and 1.19 WHIP.
It was an impressive season, but diving into the numbers, there was some luck involved. He walked 99 hitters and had a 3.44 FIP. Snell found a way to limit damage in most of his starts last year, but the process wasn’t always the best.
Walks haven’t necessarily been a huge issue in his career and that was evident in his 2018 season when he struck out 217 and walked 64, earning his first of two Cy Young Awards.
The hope is for him to return to that, especially in a Giants uniform.
