Loss of San Francisco Giants Ace Hurts American League Suitors, Too

A San Francisco Giants star free agent was named the perfect transaction for an American League team, but landed elsewhere.

Sep 17, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Blake Snell (7) throws a second inning pitch against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

It is anyone’s guess what we are going to see from the San Francisco Giants this offseason.

Their front office is under new management, as former star catcher Buster Posey is taking over as president of baseball operations from Farhan Zaidi, who was fired after the season. Will he be able to find players willing to take money to come to San Francisco?

As Zaidi learned, that is easier said than done. Money isn’t an issue for the Giants, but convincing hitters to play half of their games at Oracle Park is a challenge.

With several holes to address in the lineup, Posey has his work cut out for himself this winter. However, another void was created by the decision their star pitcher, Blake Snell, made as a free agent.

Signed well into Spring Training, the two sides agreed on a two-year, $62 million deal that had an option for Year 2. It seemed like a foregone conclusion that the reigning Cy Young Award winner would accept that option as he struggled out of the gate.

Alas, after two stints on the injured list and a return to the mound in July, he looked more like his regular dominant self. He pitched well enough that he opted out of the deal and is seeking the kind of long-term contract that didn’t come last year.

He received that massive contract from San Fancisco's bitter rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers. The star lefty agreed to a five-year, $182 million deal as he will now be pitching agianst the Giants for the foreseeable future.

There were a lot of teams that would have been great fits for Snell, but the Dodgers checked all the boxes. They paid him handsomely and he will have a chance to contend for a World Series every year.

One team that has to be disappointed with how things turned out is the Boston Red Sox, who are ready, willing and able to spend this winter.

A quick turnaround and surge up the standings in 2025 is certainly within reach if the right additions are made. There is a strong nucleus in place and a lot of wiggle room on the salary cap to spend and bring in talent.

In the opinion of MLB insider Jeff Passan of ESPN, the perfect transaction for the Red Sox would have been stealing Snell away from San Francisco, writing that he would have made the Red Sox a scary team "sooner than later."

Boston went 81-81 in 2024 despite not having a bonafide ace to anchor their rotation. Tanner Houck had a strong campaign, earning an All-Star appearance and finishing with a 3.12 ERA across 30 starts and 178.2 innings.

Giants fans know firsthand just how much of a boost the two-time Cy Young Award winner can provide when he is on his game. While Red Sox fans may be frustrated they didn't land him, at least they won't have to face him regularly as San Francisco will.