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The Houston Astros are in "serious pursuit" of reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell. With Justin Verlander not being ready for Opening Day, the interest makes a lot of sense.
It is unclear if a deal is close to being completed, but it is the latest development in the Snell saga. He is the best pitcher still without a home for the 2024 season and would be a boost for Houston's rotation.
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Outside of Verlander starting the season on the IL, Lance McCullers Jr. and Luis Garcia will also start the year on the injured list. Now, Jose Urquidy exited his Friday start early with discomfort in his throwing elbow.
Houston fans would love to see the front office snag Snell. He could be the player to push them over the edge after being a top team in the American League for the last handful of years.
"That would be game changer in the west! Another brilliant move if they land it!" one fan posted.
"This is why they are perennial contenders and champions" another fan posted.
The Astros have not been tied to Snell much this offseason. However, the injury concern for Urquidy has pushed their hand.
Blake Snell to the Houston Astros could be scary for opposing teams
Blake Snell would be an instant improvement to the Houston Astros rotation. He is coming off one of the best seasons in his career, where he started 32 games, compiling a league-leading 2.25 ERA.
Snell threw a career-high 180 innings last year with the San Diego Padres. This led to him ending the season with a career-high 234 strikeouts. He was certainly one of the best pitchers in the league last season.
However, there are some concerns about his game. Snell also finished the 2023 season with a career-high 99 walks. This blew out his previous career-high of 69 to of the water. Despite that, he was still extremely effective with his 14-9 record.
Snell is reportedly searching for a contract somewhere around $30 million annually. This could be a tough decision for a team that does not typically hand out big contracts.
Houston is not the only team interested in signing Snell. The Los Angeles Angels and New York Yankees are still interested in the hard-throwing lefty. It will be interesting to see which team lands the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner.
