Blake Snell Rumors: Dodgers, Giants, Padres Linked; Phillies 'Lukewarm' on MLB FA

The San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres are "all in on" free agent ace Blake Snell this winter, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Heyman added to "not count out" the Philadelphia Phillies, though there are conflicting reports about their interest.

Jayson Stark of The Athletic reported that the Phillies " appear to be just lukewarm on the ace," noting that his "walk rate, inconsistency and lack of year-in, year-out volume make him almost the diametric opposite of [free agent Aaron Nola]."

He did add, however, that if "Nola hits the exit ramp and [Japanese free agent Yoshinobu Yamamoto] goes to a team with a richer history with Japanese players, Snell could still be in play."

Snell, 30, is the favorite to win the NL Cy Young award after finishing the 2023 season 14-9 with a 2.25 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 234 strikeouts in 180 innings for the Padres. He also won the AL Cy Young award in 2018.

The knock on Snell is that he isn't a workhorse, having never exceeded 180.2 innings in his career, and he doesn't regularly pitch through the sixth inning. He's excellent when he's on the mound, but he also requires more from the bullpen in support, while other aces around baseball generally give the bullpen an easier outing once every five games.

But a major market could emerge for pitchers like Snell, Nola, Yamamoto and Jordan Montgomery, among others, because as ESPN's Jeff Passan wrote: "Everyone wants pitching this winter. Like, seriously, everyone."

Granted, there are solid options below them in the free agent proceedings, including Eduardo Rodríguez, Shōta Imanaga, Sonny Gray, Lucas Giolito, Marcus Stroman and Yariel Rodríguez, among others.

The Dodgers need to bolster a rotation that may be losing Clayton Kershaw and Julio Urías (the latter both a free agent and potentially facing a lengthy suspension). Shohei Ohtani seems likely to be the team's focus this winter, but pitching is a major need.

Like the Dodgers, the Giants will have Ohtani as the priority, but they could use another quality starting pitcher. And while the Padres seem likely to part ways with Snell, considering a bloated payroll that led to only 82 wins this past season, pitching is a need.

The Padres may just choose to take the money they are willing to spend this offseason and spread it out a bit rather than splash it primarily on a player like Snell. That calculus might change, however, if they decide to trade Juan Soto, with rumors continuing to surface suggesting that potential outcome.