Blake Snell Free Agency Update: Cy Young winner 'privately expresses' desire to play for the Yankees, per MLB insider

Many rumors are swirling around Blake Snell, the two-time Cy Young winner and free agent. Several major teams are interested in the pitcher and his unrestricted status allows him and his suitors to negotiate for a nine-digit contract.

Teams are eager to land the 31-year-old ace, thanks to his phenomenal performance in 2023, where he played 32 games with a 14-9 record, threw for 180.0 innings with a 2.25 ERA and struck out 234 batters.

Andy Martino, an MLB insider, reported Blake Snell’s ‘interest’ in joining the New York Yankees. After failing to land Yoshinobu Yamamoto, they shifted their focus to other names in the free agency market. A reunion with World Series winner Jordan Montgomery remains a possibility but the Yankees remain in the mix for Snell.

"League sources say that two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell has privately expressed an interest in playing for the Yankees, though he has plenty of other suitors. At the moment, Snell seems a more likely fit in New York than Jordan Montgomery, with whom they have also talked."

New York Post’s Jon Heyman also believes that Snell would be better suited for the Yankees. He mentioned that Montgomery has a “robust” market and might be tougher to get, considering his demands from Philadelphia and Boston.

“Snell gives them the chance to possess inarguably the best one-two pitching combo in baseball. Gerrit Cole, a good judge of talent, is reportedly all for it.”

However, if Snell favors the West Coast, Los Angeles Angeles and San Francisco Giants could also be tough contenders with a geographical edge.

There are rumors of the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers’ participation in the bidding race for a long-term deal with the reigning Cy Young winner.

Blake Snell’s career so far in MLB

Drafted in the first round by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2011, Blake Snell made his MLB debut in 2016 against the New York Mets. He was later traded to the San Diego Padres for Francisco Mejia, Blake Hunt, and Cole Wilcox in 2020.

Snell has earned two Cy Young awards, one All-Star nod, and two ERA titles while playing for five seasons with the Rays and three seasons with the San Deigo Padres.

In his eight years of major league career, Snell pitched 992.2 innings, maintaining a 3.20 ERA in 191 games, a 71-55 record, and striking out 1223 batters.

In three postseasons, he has played eight series with a 3.33 ERA in 12 games while striking out 61 batters in 48.2 innings.