Baseball Insider Predicts Cy Young Winner Won’t Join Orioles
Blake Snell’s free agency is one of the more interesting and unexpected dramas of this offseason. After all who expects a two-time Cy Young winner to need nearly the entire offseason to get a contract?
Yet, here he is, a few weeks away from Opening Day, and the Scott Boras client is still seeking a new contract. At this point it could be a short-term deal that allows the left-hander to re-enter free agency.
But it’s starting to look like Snell won’t make an appearance in an Baltimore Orioles uniform.
Recently, MLB insider Buster Olney told the Willard and Dibs podcast that he was predicting that the Los Angeles Angels would ultimately sign Snell.
Olney told the podcast that he was basing his projection on conversations with those that know Snell and a belief that the former San Diego Padres starter has a preference to remain in Southern California.
Well, Baltimore isn’t Southern California. But the Orioles are coming off a 101-win season and have one of the best young teams in baseball. Plus, the O’s have a need.
Kyle Bradish is fighting an elbow strain and is most likely to start the season on the injured list. He’s on a throwing program and recently had a PRP injection. The hope is that he’ll avoid surgery. John Means won’t be ready for Opening Day either as he continues his build-up after reporting to spring training about a month behind where he should have been.
Adding Snell would pair him with the O’s current Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes at the top of the rotation.
The notion was far-fetched to begin with, though the calculation could change if David Rubenstein is approved to take over the team from the Angelos family soon. MLB ownership committee signed off on the potential sale on Friday, but all MLB owners still have to sign off.
Olney said two factors could alter Snell’s trajectory — the money he’s being offered and injuries that might force a contender to make Snell an offer in the neighborhood of what Snell’s agent, Boras, is looking for.
For now, the two-time Cy Young winner waits for a deal — and Orioles fans wait for the team to make that one big move that could put them over the top entering the season.
