According to the latest report from SNY’s Andy Martino, current National League Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell is close to deciding on a new team.
Martino wrote that Snell had “unofficially expressed interest in playing for the Yankees.
” The feeling may be mutual, as Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that the New York Yankees are also seriously considering signing Snell.
The Yankees have been uncharacteristically quiet since trading away Snell’s former Padre teammate, Juan Soto, earlier in the offseason.
The Bronx Bombers are typically among the most expensive free agents, but so far they have not been able to sign the best players.
The Yankees were reportedly the second choice behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for Japanese star Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Super utility Isaiah Kiner-Falefa has opted to sign with the divisional rival Toronto Blue Jays rather than return to New York.
The bullpen was also a focus for the Yankees, who reportedly have interest in free agents Josh Hader and Jordan Hicks.
Snell, along with current American League Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole, would provide the Yankees with the best pitching duo in baseball.
The Yankees have been uncharacteristically quiet since trading away Snell’s former Padre teammate, Juan Soto, earlier in the offseason.
The Bronx Bombers are typically among the most expensive free agents, but so far they have not been able to sign the best players.
The Yankees were reportedly the second choice behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for Japanese star Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Super utility Isaiah Kiner-Falefa has opted to sign with the divisional rival Toronto Blue Jays rather than return to New York.
The bullpen was also a focus for the Yankees, who reportedly have interest in free agents Josh Hader and Jordan Hicks.
Snell, along with current American League Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole, would provide the Yankees with the best pitching duo in baseball.
Last season, Snell became the seventh player in baseball history to win the Cy Young Award in both leagues.
He won the award in 2018 with the Rays, where he was on the same club as Gaylord Perry, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and Roger.
Clemens, Roy Halladay, Max Scherzer.
The fall Cy Young vote (28 of 30 first-place votes) showed just how dominant Snell has been this season.
He posted a 14-9 record and led NL starting pitchers in ERA (2.
25), bWAR (6.
0), ERA+ (182), and hits per nine innings (5.
75).
Snell ranked second in the National League with 234 strikeouts.
Despite the impressive numbers and hardware, there are some concerns with Snell’s game.
He had 99 walks last year, the most in the majors.
Snell has also shown that he cannot pitch consistently beyond the sixth inning.
He averaged 5.
2 innings per start last season, and only twice in his career has he thrown more than 150 innings per season.
The Los Angeles Angels and San Francisco Giants are also reportedly interested in Snell.
If the Yankees are unsuccessful in signing Snell, Martino also has the Yankees tied to free agent starter Jordan Montgomery, who could be moved quickly if Snell signs elsewhere.
