The Rich Get Richer: A Move That Will Haunt the Rest of MLB
The Los Angeles Dodgers made a splash in free agency by signing Blake Snell to a five-year contract, slotting him into a starting rotation with the potential to be among the league’s best.
Snell’s $182 million contract with the Dodgers includes a $52 million signing bonus and roughly $65 million in deferred salary.
The acquisition of Snell jumpstarted the offseason among big-name free agents, with the Dodgers flexing their might as a destination team.
Some chatter has been made about Snell’s durability in recent years, but when on the field, rival executives believe the risk is worth it for the Dodgers, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.
“The rich get richer,” a National League executive said. “He’s a stud when he’s on the field. His only issue is whether he can stay healthy – and five years is a long time. But in the Dodgers’ situation, there’s very little risk there.”
In his final 14 starts in 2024, Snell pitched to a 1.23 ERA with 114 strikeouts and a .123 batting average allowed. On Aug. 2, Snell threw a no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds.
Snell’s no-hitter was also the first complete game of his career. Snell made it a point this year to go deeper into starts with more regularity.
The Dodgers may not ask him to do much of that, but Snell’s dominant stuff will undoubtedly allow him every opportunity to provide some length.
How much does Blake Snell impact Dodgers rotation?
Snell’s upside among starters around baseball is unquestioned, and his injury history isn’t of too much risk.
The Dodgers’ hunt for a front-end arm stabilizes a group that has a few returning names who need some time for proper evaluation. Snell has eclipsed 180 innings just twice in his career, but with a possible six-man rotation, he’ll benefit in a big way.
The greatest factor is how Snell will make an impact for the Dodgers in the postseason with how he can carve up hitters because of his elite strikeout rate.
