Blake Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, says it was an easy choice to join the Los Angeles Dodgers, the World Series champions, and that the presence of three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani played a role in his decision.
Snell was introduced on Tuesday at Dodger Stadium with his agent Scott Boras. He finalized a five-year contract worth $182 million last Saturday.
“It was really easy just cause me and Haeley wanted to live here, it’s something we’ve been talking about for a while,” Snell said, referring to his girlfriend. “Then you look at the team. You look at what they’ve built, what they’re doing. It’s just something you want to be a part of.”
Last month, Snell chose to opt out of his deal with San Francisco and became a free agent for the second year in a row, after an injury-ridden year with the Giants.
Snell will receive a $52 million signing bonus, payable on January 25, and annual salaries of $26 million, with $13.2 million of that being deferred each year. Since Snell lives in Washington state, the signing bonus won’t be taxed in California.
“It just played out the way that people around me felt comfortable with, I felt comfortable with, they felt comfortable with,” Snell said. “We talked and found something that could work for both of us. You want your worth, you want your respect, and you want enough time to where you can really make a name for yourself. I’ve made a name for myself outside of LA, but I’m going to be invested.”
Ohtani, who signed a record $700 million, 10-year deal with the Dodgers a year ago, had a historic first season. He helped the Dodgers win their eighth World Series while only playing as a designated hitter, and he won the National League MVP after winning the award twice in the American League.
“It helps with him in the lineup for sure. That’s big motivation,” Snell said. “You want to be around players like that when you’re trying to be one of the best in the game. Yeah, it played a big part.”
Snell will join Ohtani and Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto at the top of the Dodgers’ pitching rotation. All-Star Tyler Glasnow will return after his first season with the Dodgers was cut short by a sprained elbow.
Ohtani, who didn’t pitch this year while recovering from right elbow surgery, is expected to return to pitching in 2025.
The rest of the rotation includes Tony Gonsolin, Landon Knack, Dustin May, Bobby Miller, and Emmet Sheehan.
“I pitched on six-man, five-man, four-man rotations,” Snell said. “I’m good with it all as long as we have a plan, we’ll execute it.”
Snell, who turns 32 on Wednesday, finished this season with a 5-3 record and a 3.12 ERA in 20 starts. He threw a no-hitter against Cincinnati on August 2, one of only 16 shutouts in the major leagues this season. He struck out 145 and walked 44 in 104 innings.
He was sidelined twice due to injuries, first from April 19 to May 22 with a strained left adductor and then from June 2 to July 9 with a strained left groin.
Snell won his first Cy Young Award in 2018 with Tampa Bay and his second in 2023 with San Diego. In his nine seasons with the Rays (2016-2020), Padres (2021-2023), and Giants, he has a 76-58 record and a 3.19 ERA.
He has known Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers president of baseball operations, since he was 18.
After the Dodgers won the World Series and discussed how they could repeat next year, Friedman said, “All conversations kept coming back to Blake.”
“Usually in major league free agency, you’re buying the backside of a guy’s career, the accomplishments that they have had,” Friedman said. “With Blake, one thing that’s really exciting for us is, as much success as he’s had, we feel like there’s more in there.”
Snell has a 2-2 career record against the Dodgers.
“We couldn’t beat him, so we’re going to have him join us,” Friedman said.
