It turns out that Blake Snell’s contract was like the last game he offered – the Rays are going to go just as far with him.
In a well-known move for the franchise – trading a leading entree – Tampa Bay reaches an agreement with San Diego to trade Snell for four prospects, executed by Luis Patino.
In the wake of probably their most successful season ever – to win the AL East over the highly-favored Yankees and reach World Series 6 before losing to the Dodgers – the Rays underwent a dismantling of their powerful top of the rotation. Charlie Morton signed a $ 15 million one-year contract with the Braves and now Snell, the 2018 AL Cy Young winner, has been awarded to the Padres. That just leaves Tyler Glasnow out of their big three.
But this is the way of the rays. They are constantly managing their payroll and keeping their organization full of young talent. The Rays have previously traded pieces such as Chris Archer, David Price and James Shields.
In Patino, Tampa Bay receives a pitcher ranked by MLB.com as the 22nd best prospect in the lead roles, even after its 11-time (one start) tournament in 2020 yielded an ERA of 5.19. Patino and the rest of the row (catchers Francisco Mejia and Blake Hunt, and the right pitcher Cole Wilcox) contribute to one of the deepest farm systems in the majors. It also removes the $ 39 million three-year deal for Snell’s deal. This gives the Rays the chance to further address their main list with money if they would prefer. It also leaves Kevin Kiermaier (two years at $ 26 million and available) as the only Ray to pay more than $ 7 million in 2021.
Snell’s last appearance with the Rays undoubtedly created the biggest controversy of the national season. The left had a result with one out of the sixth of World Series 6. But then Austin Barnes, the no. 9-hit, a one-time hit, pulled Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash Snell to stick to the policy of not letting him stand a third time. It was the top three in the Dodgers series – Mookie Betts, Corey Seager and Justin Turner – were 0-for-6 with six goal kicks against Snell in the game.
Nick Anderson entered and two batsmen later turned the Dodgers 1-0 into a 2-1 lead en route to their first championship since 1988.
The Dodgers held the Padres in the NL West and in the Division Series. San Diego suffered injuries to its two most important starters in the playoffs, Mike Clevinger and Dinelson Lamet, and Clevinger will miss the 2021 season after having to get Tommy John. The good Padres were looking for another leading appetizer and, as with Clevinger during the 2020 season, used their deep farming system to get one.
In this case, it’s Snell, who’s just 28 and – in his last start – dominated the Dodgers until the Rays gave him a quick hook. With three more seasons on a five-year contract, Snell was quickly removed by the Rays again.