Blake Snell rumors suggest obvious reason he didn't get monster contract

At long last, Blake Snell has found a new team.

Late on Monday, the reigning National League Cy Young inked a two-year, $62 million contract with the San Francisco Giants. The deal includes an opt-out clause after the first year, meaning Snell could become a free agent again next offseason.

Many expected Snell to receive a much larger contract this offseason, but the market has moved very slow, and his free agency stretched into spring training.

According to Bob Nightengale, Snell was seeking a nine-year, $270 million deal. However, he notes that teams were likely hesitant to make a play for Snell because he has only eclipsed 130 innings twice in his career.

In addition, walks are an issue with Snell, who averaged five per nine innings in 2023.

Why Blake Snell didn't sign a mega-deal

This could ultimately be the reason that Snell was never offered a mega-deal and that his market never quite materialized.

Innings have been a concern for Snell, as have walks, and teams may have been looking for better numbers in those categories when searching for top-of-the-rotation starting pitchers.

And if Snell puts together a solid season, he could potentially warrant a bigger contract next offseason, if he decides to opt out of his deal with the Giants of course.

San Francisco is paying him $15 million this year and a $17 million signing bonus in January of 2026. Should he opt into the final year of his contract, he'll receive $30 million in 2025.

However, if the same things continue to plague him, then it's always possible that teams will still not be willing to give him a long-term deal, especially if that is what prevented him from getting one this offseason.

How Snell performs this season will likely determine how his market takes shape next offseason.