'A shot of adrenaline': Snell’s new teammates excited to have him
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- At various points this offseason, Giants right-hander Alex Cobb would check in on Blake Snell.
Cobb and the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner had been teammates with Tampa Bay from 2016-17. As Snell remained unsigned into March, Cobb would text a two-pronged message: I’ve been where you are, waiting until late to sign. And you’d really like San Francisco. Cobb never got much back.
“I tried,” Cobb joked Tuesday. “But he was tight-lipped.”
The pitch might have worked anyway. Monday night, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported that Snell had finally agreed to terms -- with the Giants for two years and $62 million, with an opt-out after year one. The deal became official just before San Francisco’s 9-8 walk-off win over the Royals on Tuesday night -- Giants manager Bob Melvin spent much of his pregame media session discussing Snell in hypothetical terms -- but that didn’t dim the excitement in the Giants clubhouse earlier in the afternoon.
With Opening Day nearing, San Francisco is adding a starting pitcher who last year led Major League pitchers in ERA (2.25) and ERA+ (182) and led the NL in wins above replacement (6.2). With Snell joining Logan Webb, the top two spots of the Giants’ rotation now feature the top two finishers for last year’s NL Cy Young.
“Everybody just got a shot of adrenaline,” Cobb said.
Snell’s addition immediately changes the complexion of a Giants pitching staff that appeared to be thin. Webb is reliably terrific, but behind him the Giants were relying on a converted reliever (Jordan Hicks) and a talented but inexperienced rookie (Kyle Harrison). Rehabbing veterans Cobb and Robbie Ray -- recovering from hip and elbow surgeries, respectively -- loom as midsummer reinforcements, but surviving until then looked iffy.
Now, each spot is that much stronger. When Ray returns this summer, San Francisco’s rotation will boast three Cy Young Awards and a mix of looks. Ray and Snell both have big lefty stuff and have combatted command lapses by stranding runners at high rates, and Harrison boasts similar raw talent. Webb and Cobb are both sinkerballers who excel at getting quick outs and pitching deep into games.
What’s more, bringing in Snell is only the latest in a series of spring moves the Giants have made to take advantage of muted free agent activity. Soon after pitchers and catchers reported, San Francisco signed slugger Jorge Soler for $42 million over three years, adding significant thump to a lineup that has long lacked it. In early March came the addition of third baseman Matt Chapman on a one-year, $18 million deal, with player options for 2025 and ’26 (though it was coupled with the divisive release of incumbent third baseman J.D. Davis). The Giants also added Nick Ahmed, who may wind up as the starting shortstop, on a Minor League deal after camp began.
So, while Giants veteran Mike Yastrzemski noted that someone of Snell’s stature “should have been on a team months ago,” no Giants players mind that he and all the other recent upgrades ultimately landed with them.
“It obviously doesn't guarantee anything,” Yastrzemski said, “but we’re happy to see the front office is really making a push to make this team the best we can be. That’s a great addition.”
The season begins in nine days, and it remains to be seen how quickly Snell can ramp up. Cobb has been there, and he urges caution. In 2018, Cobb signed his first free-agent deal with the Orioles on March 21 and started in the Majors on April 14. Infamously, Cobb carried a 6.41 ERA through that season’s first half. Snell may be close to game-ready, though, and may have enough time to make at least one Cactus League start.
“It sounds like Blake’s been throwing a sim game and stuff like that,” Cobb said. “I’m excited to talk to him about all that.”
The former Padre will also benefit from familiarity with the division, and with Melvin, both his old and new manager.
But not enough to earn the Opening Day nod over Webb, the pitcher Snell edged out for last year’s Cy Young. Webb will make the first start of the season for the third year in a row, MLB announced Tuesday morning. Though that news was hardly surprising, it somehow caught both Melvin and Webb off guard.
“I still haven’t told him that yet,” Melvin cracked, “so I hope he doesn’t read this article.”