3 reasons Astros should sign Blake Snell before Opening Day

When Blake Snell sought free agency last November, few thought that the southpaw would be on the market for long. The winner of the NL's most prestigious pitching honor last season, Snell remains a free agent with mere weeks to go before opening day.

In recent days, the Houston Astros have emerged as a top contender to sign Blake Snell. The speculation comes on the heels of a piece from Astros beat writer Chandler Rome, who cited the team owner Jim Crane's past interest in the 31-year old proof that a deal could be imminent.

"The Astros are pursuing Blake Snell, per @Chandler_Rome and @Ken_Rosenthal" - FOX Sports: MLB

With the Astros set to kick off their 2024 season against the New York Yankees on March 28, let's examine why offering Snell a deal before then could be a strong move from an Astros perspective.

Three reasons why Blake Snell in Houston makes sense

3. Justin Verlander's health

After reports that 2022 Cy Young winner Justin Verlander would be missing the beginning of the season, fans began to view the 41-year old ace as immortal. Moreover, significant holes in the Astros' rotation began to become apparent. With Snell, the Astros can obtain an arm that will mitigate the effects of losing a star frontman like Verlander, and provide an additional voice of experience to help mentor rising starters like Framber Valdez and Cristian Javier.

2. Payroll compatability

Though the Houston Astros might be one of the wealthiest teams in baseball, GM Dana Brown is in for a tough year ahead. At the end of the 2024 season, both Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman will see their contracts expire. While the impotus will be to re-sign them, offering Blake Snell a contract with Cody Bellinger-like flexibility could nail down the two-time ERA king while still hammering out a future contract with their big stars.

"Congrats to Blake Snell on his 1000th career strikeout" - Talkin Friars

1. A chance to win

Perhaps the only factor that could influence Snell's decision more than money and time is the possibility of winning a World Series. In 2020, while playing for the Tampa Bay Rays, Snell's side made it all the way to the World Series, before missing the postseason in two of this three years with the Padres. In Houston, Snell could very possibly win a World Series, or at least get within striking distance.