Looks like Blake Snell’s contract was like the last game he released – the Rays were going to go that far with him.
In a familiar move to the franchise – trading a high-end starter – Tampa Bay has reached an agreement with San Diego to trade Snell for four prospects, highlighted by right-wing Luis Patino.
Following their most likely most successful season ever – winning the AL East against the Yankees’ top favorites and reaching the World Series Game 6 before losing to the Dodgers – the Rays suffered a disassembly of their powerful spin. Charlie Morton signed a one-year, $ 15 million contract with the Braves, and now Snell, the 2018 AL Cy Young winner, has been assigned to Padres. That leaves only Tyler Glasnow in Trei Mari.
But this is the path of the rays. They constantly strive to manage their salaries and keep their organization full of young talent. Among others, Rays had previously traded top songs, such as Chris Archer, David Price and James Shields.
In Patino, Tampa Bay receives a pitcher who is ranked 22nd best in MLB.com even after his 11-appearance cameo (a start) in 2020 produced an ERA 5.19. The skate and the rest of the transport (captures Francisco Mejia and Blake Hunt, and the right pitcher Cole Wilcox) add to one of the deepest agricultural systems of the largest. It also eliminates the three years, with $ 39 million left in the Snell business. This gives the Rays a chance to further address their major league list with money, if they wish. It also leaves Kevin Kiermaier (two years at $ 26 million and available) as the only Ray with more than $ 7 million in 2021.
Snell’s final appearance with the Rays probably created the biggest post-season controversy. The left side had a shot on goal with one of the sixth in the World Series 6. But when he hit Austin Barnes in 9th place, Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash withdrew Snell to stick with the policy of not letting him go. to face a line. the third time. This, although the top three in the Dodgers – Mookie Betts, Corey Seager and Justin Turner – were 0-for-6 with six hits against Snell in the game.
Nick Anderson came in and two beats later, the Dodgers turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 advantage on the way to their first championship in 1988.
The Dodgers retained the Padres in both the NL West and the Division Series. San Diego faces injuries to its two key players, Mike Clevinger and Dinelson Lamet, in the playoffs, and Clevinger will miss the 2021 season after needing Tommy John’s surgery. So the go-for-it parents were looking for another state-of-the-art starter and – as in the case of Clevinger in the 2020 season – used their deep farm system to get one.
In this case, it’s Snell, who is only 28 years old and – in his last start – dominated the Dodgers until Rays gave him a quick hook. With three seasons left on a five-year contract, Snell was quickly eliminated again by the Rays.