MLB Rumors: Red Sox-Montgomery hold up, Blake Snell favorite, Cardinals OF concern
- Lars Nootbaar has fractured ribs and will miss time
- Angels are the running favorite to land Blake Snell
- Red Sox ownership could prevent club from landing Jordan Montgomery
MLB rumors: Angels are favorites to land Blake Snell
The Los Angeles Angels' offseason has been relatively quiet since Shohei Ohtani made the fateful decision to cross town and join the Dodgers. Mike Trout has pressured the front office to keep its foot on the gas pedal, however, and it seems like the All-Star outfielder could soon get his wish.
According to ESPN's Buster Olney, in a recent appearance on Willard & Dibs, league sources believe free agent pitcher Blake Snell will ultimately land with the Halos.
“[I’ve] had enough conversation with people in the last 24 hours who know Blake who believe that in the end— depending on where the money falls— the place where he might land [is] with the Angels.”
There is no questioning the Angels' financial resources when ownership is motivated. It's difficult to chart a path to contention for a franchise that missed the postseason six times with Ohtani on the roster, but a healthy season from Trout and Blake Snell could turn the organization's fortunes around.
Snell won his second Cy Young award with the San Diego Padres last season, posting a 2.25 ERA and 1.189 WHIP with 234 strikeouts in 180.0 innings pitched. The southpaw's blistering heat and vicious curveball form the foundation of a deadly punch-out arsenal. Snell led the NL in walks, an ongoing weakness for an otherwise brilliant pitcher, but he also landed in the 94th percentile for strikeout rate (31.4 percent). Few can match his ability to force swings and misses.
Health and longevity are concerns with the 31-year-old, but when he's right, Snell can anchor the Angels' rotation as a perennial All-Star candidate. He would fill half the void left by Ohtani, with Trout, Anthony Rendon, and others tasked with getting the offense to a respectable level.
The San Francisco Giants have been mentioned as another potential landing spot for Snell, but the Angels are clearly taking the lead. San Francisco has already dished out several expensive contracts this offseason. That is not the case for Los Angeles. As a bonus, the Angels allow Snell to stay relatively close to his former home in San Diego, only requiring a few hours' drive north.