Desperation takes a man to uncharted territories. But sometimes, it takes them back to the known paths. Blake Snell and his agent Scott Boras could be looking at such a scenario. After months of searching and many links, they’ve been unable to find a perfect match for the ace. With each passing day, his market has just become thinner. With such desperation, could there be a return to San Diego – Are the Padres back on the list?

The Friars were a little quiet in the free agency market throughout this offseason. Partly because they’ve reinforced much of their roster through a massive Juan Soto trade. But if the opportunity arises, could they seek a reunion with their Cy Young-winning ace?

Blake Snell and the San Diego Padres – a reunion of ages?

The Padres had the most unlucky campaign last season. Despite having perhaps the best team on paper, results kept going against them. But amidst that dry spell, it was Blake Snell that kept them in the competition. His importance was such that despite it being his walk year, the Pads declined to trade him. So can they be together again? According to Friars on Base’s Eric Cole, they could but it’s still a “little more than a pipe dream.”

While Snell’s market value is reducing every second, there’s still a giant blockage in this deal. Namely – the Friars’ payroll issues. Part of the reason why this offseason has been so slow is because teams like the Padres have focused more on reducing their payroll. This has led to reduced spending, which in turn has created a situation like the one we’re witnessing with Snell.

The lost TV rights revenue has also played spoilsport for the Padres. Add to that the fact that while they’re projected payroll for 2024 is $154 million, their luxury tax figure is almost $215 million. This is due to some of the long-term contracts that they’ve given to various players. So adding even $30 million of Snell would lead them to cross the $237 million threshold, something they don’t want to do.

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So as it stands, there’s little hope of this reunion happening. However, it doesn’t mean they are completely out – it all depends on Snell’s valuation.

Has Scott Boras pushed himself into a corner?

Scott Boras has already shown his willingness to accept a lower-than-expected offer for his clients. The Cody Bellinger deal was a testament to that. So now the question arises will Snell do the same? While it’s quite speculative at this stage, the adamant stance of Snell makes it look unlikely. Even if he did, there’s a strong chance that it would be structured like Bellinger’s deal, that is, it’ll be highly frontloaded.

Would that suit the Padres – maybe not. It’s for the same reason that the New York Yankees haven’t pounced on the opportunity yet, payroll is too big of an issue for these teams. So where will Blake Snell’s free agency head to next? That’s a question on everyone’s mind.

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