4 Blake Snell suitors who would line up at the door if Giants waive him

The 2024 MLB trade deadline is behind us, as we've moved into August. Around now is when teams begin placing players on waivers in order to shed their contract to try to save themselves a bit of money.

Players on big contracts or expiring deals are subject to be thrown on waivers at any point now.

One player who has a very small chance of landing on waivers is the San Fransisco Giants ace, Blake Snell. There are a few reasons that this could make a lot of sense and a few reasons it wouldn't. It would make sense because the Giants could shed his salary for the rest of the year. Snell is likely to decline his player option and enter free agency this offseason anyway.

But it wouldn't make sense because he's an elite starting pitcher. The Giants, if they wanted to shed his salary, should have moved him at the deadline and gotten a big haul of prospects in return. But they didn't. So why would they look to shed his salary weeks later?

Personally, I don't see this happening. But, if it does, which teams would be the first to put their claim in?

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4. New York Yankees would make a lot of sense for Blake Snell

The first team on this list is the New York Yankees.

Brian Cashman went out and made some deals at the trade deadline, but he failed to acquire a starting pitcher, which the Yankees needed pretty desperately. This would be his chance to redeem himself.

Cashman's other deadline deals aren't looking so hot right now. The team recently DFA'd Enyel De Los Santos and Jazz Chisholm Jr. is dealing with a serious elbow injury. Trying to bring in a big name like Snell, if he becomes available, would be the right decision for Cashman to make.

The issue here is that Snell is still attached to an expensive contract. The Yankees have never been shy to spend money, but right now may not be the best time. The team already has a huge payroll and this offseason is set to be one of the most expensive in Yankees history, if all goes right.

They will be looking to ink Juan Soto to a deal worth well over $500 million. Every dime they can save right now will be important. I expect them to claim Snell if he becomes available, but it's important to note that there's a reason New York didn't deal for him at the deadline.

3. Boston Red Sox need pitching more than most teams

The next team to look into is the Yankees biggest rivals, the Boston Red Sox. Boston is in a very weird spot this season. They've fallen a bit behind in the AL Wild Card race, dropping out of a postseason spot for the time being. There was a time when they had a small shot at competing with the Orioles and Yankees at the top of the division.

Now, they need to find a way to add talent if they want to make a real playoff run. They introduced this idea by promoting all three of their top prospects at the same time, suggesting that these three could all see September call-ups if they perform well down the stretch.

But besides said prospects, Boston could really use another starter. If Snell becomes available, I see no reason why Boston wouldn't want to pay his contract and acquire his services for the rest of the season. Boston needs to make a run this year.

They have the talent to do so and placing an ace like Snell at the top of their rotation would be the cherry on top as we head down the final stretch.

2. San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres were one of the teams that were rumored to be in the Blake Snell sweepstakes ahead of the trade deadline. They are his former team and have shown interest in adding him back to the roster dating back to free agency. Many speculated that they didn't end up trading for him because they were too busy dealing away top prospects for other talent.

If Snell hits waivers, the Padres will be very quick to put in a claim for him. It's a no brainer for the most aggressive organization in the sport right now.

There isn't a team that has been better over the last few weeks in a combination of improving the roster and winning games than the Padres have. They have risen up the standings and almost certainly secured a postseason spot. They have an outside shot at the NL West too.

If AJ Preller could claim Snell, they would have one of the best one-two starting pitching punches in the league with Dylan Cease. The Padres would certainly look to extend Snell long term in the offseason, much like they tried to do last year.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers would somehow have the money to bring Snell on for the rest of the year, despite issuing out over $1 billion this past offseason in new contracts. Shohei Ohtani has deferred $680 million of his $700 million contract. This opens up the door for the Dodgers to acquire a talent like Snell if he becomes available on waivers.

The Dodgers could have used a pitcher like Snell at the deadline (instead they traded for Jack Flaherty), but the Giants just couldn't trade him to such a bitter rival. If San Fransisco opts to place him on waivers, which is still a long shot, the Dodgers would be one of the first teams to make a claim on him.

Los Angeles' pitching rotation has been crippled with injuries this year and adding a player like Snell would be the addition they desperately need. He would anchor the rotation down the stretch. Making a waiver claim to acquire Snell would lock the Dodgers in as the best team in the National League and the favorite to bring home the World Series this year.