LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers’ priority this winter was to add an ace to their starting rotation. They got their man on Tuesday.
Blake Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner and one of the top free-agent pitchers on the market this offseason, has agreed to a five-year, $182 million deal with the World Series champions, the club formally announced Saturday.
Before Snell signed a two-year, $62 million deal with the Giants with an opt-out clause in March, the Dodgers were one of the teams to make a last-minute effort to acquire the star left-hander. Los Angeles checked in on Snell again before the Trade Deadline as San Francisco fell out of postseason contention.
Since then, the Dodgers identified Snell as their top target this winter. The two sides engaged in discussions once free agency opened this month. The deal features a hefty $52 million signing bonus and includes deferred money, something that has become more common throughout the game, especially with the Dodgers.
By joining Los Angeles, Snell is reunited with president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, who was the executive vice president of baseball operations for the Rays when the lefty was drafted in the first round by Tampa Bay in 2011.
Snell joins a starting rotation that will feature Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers look to add another starter this winter, with Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki among the many targets. It’s a starting rotation that is expected to be much improved from last season.
Since the 2018 season, not many pitchers have been more dominant at times than Snell.
The left-hander reached free agency for the first time a year ago after posting an MLB-leading 2.25 ERA with 234 strikeouts over 180 innings as a member of the Padres in 2023. He was recognized as the National League’s top arm, earning his second career Cy Young Award and becoming just the seventh pitcher in Major League history to win the award in both leagues. He also won with the Rays in 2018.
Snell’s 11.2 career strikeouts per nine innings is the highest in MLB history.
After signing well into March and feeling rushed to start the season, Snell struggled at the start of 2024. Without a regular Spring Training buildup, Snell posted a 9.51 ERA over his first six starts and made two trips to the injured list.
But once he got a proper buildup following his second IL stint, Snell continued to dominate on the mound. He put together a remarkable stretch with a 1.23 ERA and 114 strikeouts, 30 walks and a .123 batting average in 80 1/3 innings over his final 14 starts.
His season peaked on Aug. 2, when he struck out 11 in a no-hitter against the Reds that was also the first complete game of his career.
Perhaps most importantly for Los Angeles, Snell has proven that his stuff plays in October. Snell’s most famous postseason start came against the Dodgers in Game 6 of the 2020 World Series when he was pulled after 5 1/3 dominant innings. The Dodgers rallied for a 3-1 victory once Snell came out of the game en route to their first title since 1988.
Now, with Snell in the mix, the Dodgers put themselves in position to become the first repeat World Series champions in more than two decades.