Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a $62 million, two-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Monday night.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful physical. Snell has the right to opt out after this season and become a free agent. If he terminates the deal after one year, he would get $31 million.
A 30-year-old left-hander, Snell is 71-55 with a 3.20 ERA in 191 starts over eight major league seasons, winning Cy Youngs in 2018 with Tampa Bay and last year with San Diego.
Snell joins a team that gave South Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee a $113 million, six-year contract, sjgned right-hander Jordan Hicks to a $44 million, four-year deal and outfielder Jorge Soler to a $42 million, three-year contract, then gave third baseman Matt Chapman a $54 million, three-year deal.
He was taken by Tampa Bay with the 52nd pick in the 2011 amateur draft and reached the major leagues in 2016. He won his first Cy Young in 2018, edging Justin Verlander after going 21-5 and 1.89 ERA.
He signed a $50 million, five-year deal, the largest at the time for a pitcher not yet arbitration-eligible. He was 6-8 with a 4.29 ERA in 2019, a season in which he was hampered by injuries.
Snell received some unwanted attention before the 2020 pandemic-shortened season when he stated “I’m not playing unless I get mine,” referring to his salary. Snell later admitted that the statement could be seen as selfish.
Snell helped the Rays reach the 2020 World Series, where they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games. He was removed from Game 6 after 5 1/3 innings despite giving up just two hits and the Rays lost 3-1.
Tampa Bay traded Snell to San Diego for prospects. He went 15-16 in his first two seasons with the Padres, then went 14-9 record and an NL-leading 2.25 ERA and won his second Cy Young. He was 8-2 with 1.54 ERA in the second half.
YANKEES: Aaron Judge is expected to play in Wednesday night’s exhibition against Pittsburgh after an eight-day layoff caused by an abdominal injury while leadoff hitter DJ LeMahieu’s status for opening day is unclear because of a hurt foot.
Judge hasn’t taken batting practice on the infield or played since March 10, when he struck out in both at-bats against Atlanta. He has hit off a tee, did soft toss and taken batting practice against a pitching machine in an indoor cage.
LeMahieu fouled a ball off his right foot on Saturday and a CT scan found no break. He will be evaluated every two to three days.
Manager Aaron Boone said LeMahieu playing in the March 28 opener at Houston is “certainly reasonable.”
“He got a really good report from from the X-ray and CT scan,” Boone said.
LeMahieu was slowed by a right toe injury late in the 2022 season and for the first half of 2023.
“I’m not going to have him playing through anything initially,” Boone said. “I feel like that’s where you start to compensate and you start putting other parts of the body and that foot even in jeopardy. I’ve been clear with DJ on that.”
BRAVES: The Atlanta Braves optioned All-Star pitcher Bryce Elder to the minors, deciding to open the season with Reynaldo López as their fifth starter.
López, who signed a $30 million, three-year deal with the Braves in November, earned the rotation spot by allowing just four earned runs over 16 2/3 innings in five spring appearances. He surrendered 10 hits, walked six and struck out 13.
Elder, by comparison, gave up 11 earned runs and 15 hits in 12 innings covering four appearances for an 8.25 ERA.
Elder also began last season at Triple-A Gwinnett, but was recalled early in the year and earned his first All-Star Game selection by going 7-2 with a 2.97 ERA ahead of the break.
But the 24-year-old right-hander faded over the second half of the season, seeming to tire as he worked a career-high 174 2/3 innings. He finished 12-4 with a 3.81 ERA and was hit hard in Game 3 of the NL Division Series, giving up six runs — including two homers — in just 2 2/3 innings against the Phillies.
REDS: Left-hander Justin Wilson has agreed to a $1.5 million, one-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds following his release from a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
GIANTS: The San Francisco Giants and longtime public-address announcer Renel Brooks-Moon are parting ways after the sides failed to reach agreement on a contract extension.
The Giants said there were “extensive discussions” about a new deal after Brooks-Moon’s contract ended in December, but instead “they mutually and amicably agreed to part ways.”
TWINS: The Minnesota Twins will open their AL Central title defense without closer Jhoan Duran, who has a moderate oblique strain.
Duran, reliever Caleb Thielbar and starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani all are expected to open the season on the injured list. Thielbar has a hamstring injury, while DeSclafani is dealing with an elbow issue.
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