Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery to Start MLB Season Unsigned? Scott Boras’ Asking Price Curbs Interest

“There is a pitching panic going on in baseball”, said Scott Boras; the man whose words have to be taken seriously. After all, it is his clients who are perhaps going into the season unassigned. From being witty and cracking dad jokes to miscalculating the present market, super agent Boras appears all over the place. What was once thought to be a well-planned strategy is turning into a newfound fear.

A month ago, there were talks of whether Boras’ elite – Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery would enter Spring Training unassigned. Now, though different, the essence of the question remains the same – Are Snell and Montgomery going to start the season unassigned? If teams are not willing to dig deep into their pockets, perhaps Boras needs to lower his price tag. But will he?

Why Are Snell and Montgomery Not Signed Yet?

There’s a pattern in the late signings of Boras’ clients. Matt Chapman signed a $54 million contract for 3 years over the weekend. This includes opt-outs after each of the first two years. Cody Bellinger, who signed with the Chicago Cubs last week, had a deal similar to Chapman’s. His deal, too, was for three years and consisted of two opt-outs. While both deals came about way after the beginning of spring training, the question stands – Why not Snell and Montgomery then?

Based on Chapman’s words, the strategy for the elite unassigned LHPs seems clear. “Our goals were either to get a long-term contract that we felt I was worth; if not, get the short-term contract with opt-outs and bet on myself”, said the 30-year-old, 3rd baseman. Despite this methodology working well for two of the Boras Four, the other two are struggling with only 3 weeks away from the regular season.

Boras’s asking price for Snellzilla and Monty is approximately $150 million for five or six years. And at this point in time, especially after an eventful off-season for most teams, that kind of money to work out seems far from plausible. But with some injuries getting reported already, the unassigned pair of the Boras Four might stand a chance. However, on one condition.

Read More: Scott Boras in Trouble as Slow Off-Season Impacts Star Clients? Super Agent Awaits Best Deals

Scott Boras Stands In The Way of Players and Teams; Or Does He?

The hefty price tag needs to go. If teams aren’t willing to accommodate that price despite seeing a good fit, then Boras would have to reduce his asking price. Adding to that is another perspective share the 71-year-old shared. He said, “When the need arises, then all of a sudden you get the calls because they’ve made the decisions to consider acquiring an elite talent. Only then do you have things to consider and evaluate.”

Read More: Will Scott Boras’ Off-Season Setbacks Aid New York Yankees’ Juan Soto Extension Talks?

Does this mean that with injuries marring rotations already, teams can turn to Snell or Gumby? Will Boras be flexible in his asking price? Are Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery going into entering the 2024 season with no team to call theirs? Or is there a surprise deal waiting to smash all speculations? In this period of “strange market this year” one can only wait and watch the fate of the ‘Boras-Two’ unfurl.