Just In: Blake Snell’s Contract Paves Way for Dodgers Future Signings
The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Blake Snell in the first big move of free agency. Snell’s contract is structured in a way that potentially gives the Dodgers room to keep spending.
The Dodgers inked Snell to a five-year, $182 million deal. The deal has no opt-outs. However, the deal does include nearly $60 million in deferred money according to the Los Angeles Times Jack Harris. Harris also noted that if the Dodgers were to trade Snell he would be owed $5 million.
Snell also received a $52 million signing bonus. According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, Snell’s AAV will be between $32-33 million.
“The Los Angeles Dodgers annual CBT for Blake Snell with his signing bonus and deferrals will be about $32-33 million, officials with direct knowledge of the deal say, compared to the $36.4 million AAV for Snell,” wrote Nightengale.
Last offseason the Dodgers signed Shohei Ohtani to a deal that deferred $680 million. Snell’s deal isn’t quite that unique, but still gives the Dodgers some extra room to operate. The Dodgers can still add a premier shortstop like many expected them to do. Willy Adames and Ha-Seong Kim should both be players the Dodgers can target.
Adding Snell gives the Dodgers what could be the best rotation in baseball. He will be joined by Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Not to mention Clayton Kershaw who intends to return as well.
In his final 12 games, Snell had a 1.45 ERA and 103 strikeouts. He is a two-time Cy Young Award winner and an All-Star. The only question is can the Dodgers work around his new contract to add another bat?
