Why Crushing Free Agent Departure Is Worst-Case Scenario for San Francisco Giants

The offsesason is only a month old, and it's already off to a terrible start for the San Francisco Giants.

Less than four weeks after watching the division rival Los Angeles Dodgers win the World Series, the Giants watched arguably their best starting pitcher, Blake Snell, sign a five-year, $182 million deal with the Dodgers in free agency.

Ouch.

Losing a top player in free agency is bad enough, but losing him to a division rival makes it infinitely worse. Ask Boston Red Sox fans how it felt watching Wade Boggs and Roger Clemens win World Series with the New York Yankees.

San Francisco just got worse, and Los Angeles just got better. Their 18-game difference in the standings last year is about to get even wider.

The Giants now have to face Snell several times per season over the next few years -- constant reminders of their embarrassing failure to keep him.

Giants signed Blake Snell on a prove-it deal, he proved it, they held on to him at the deadline knowing he was likely to opt out, they missed the playoffs, then he left for their biggest rivals.

Don’t think you can draw it up worse. pic.twitter.com/Y1dhFTBrw8
— And That's Baseball (@AndThatsBB) November 27, 2024

San Francisco had plenty of chances, starting last offseason when Snell was a free agent coming off his second Cy Young award. Rather than lock him up to a multi-year deal, the Giants cheaped out and gave him a one-year, $32 million deal with a player option for 2025.

San Francisco got just 20 starts from Snell, who missed most of the first half with injuries. By the time he returned for good in July, the Giants were below .500 and faced an uphill battle to make the postseason.

Rather than trade Snell at the deadline for controllable assets, San Francisco held on to him in a desperate effort to keep its slim playoff hopes alive. Snell pitched well (5-3, 3.12 ERA), but the Giants sputtered and finished 80-82, missing the postseason.

When Snell declined his player option (as expected), San Francisco still could have re-signed him. Instead, the Giants let him walk without getting anything in return.

San Francisco should have either traded Snell when it had the chance or committed to extending him this offseason. The front office did neither, and now he's a Dodger for the rest of the decade.

The Giants had one of the best pitchers in baseball for a year, and they squandered him. Now they can only hope it doesn't come back to haunt them.