Report: Giants still Snell possibility despite Yankees offer on table
The Giants ended up having a nice offseason in MLB free agency despite missing out on a couple of their top targets, but another addition to their pitching staff would take the winter from good to great.
And while San Francisco’s full squad already has arrived to spring training in Scottsdale, Ariz., the Giants appear still to be in the running for one heavily sought-after arm — reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell.
While Snell has a contract offer on the table from the New York Yankees, the Giants and Los Angeles Angels remain “possibilities” to sign the southpaw, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported Monday, citing a source
Snell is one of four marquee free agents still on the market represented by super agent Scott Boras, and the Giants have been linked to the pitcher since free agency began as they look to bolster their rotation alongside ace Logan Webb.
After missing out on Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Giants traded for former Cy Young winner Robbie Ray and signed right-hander Jordan Hicks to a four-year contract.
But despite a pitcher of Snell’s caliber remaining on the market, Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said Sunday that San Francisco’s roster in camp likely is the team’s final product — but didn’t rule out further additions.
“[Monday] is our first full-squad workout and it gets kinda harder, not just operationally to add people, but you feel some level of commitment and obligation to the guys who are here competing for jobs,” Zaidi said. “It’s a little bit more disruptive to add at this point and anybody who is a free agent, we’ve theoretically had 3 1/2 months to figure out a deal and if it hasn’t happened yet, at some point organizationally you just need to turn the page and focus on the players you have in-house.
“You never rule anything out, whether it’s now or May or June or whatever, but at this point it’s just where the calendar is. Obviously it makes any further additions unlikely, but again, we’d never close the door on that entirely.”
The clock is winding down for Snell to make a decision, and it’s unclear where the Yankees’ offer stands. In a recent estimate by Forbes.com, Snell is projected to sign a five-year, $175 million contract.
With the Giants reportedly remaining a possibility for Snell, however, it’s hard to resist imagining the Cy Young winner reuniting with manager Bob Melvin in San Francisco.
