Blake Snell’s Free Agency Set to Extend Past Spring Training? Scott Boras Plays Waiting Game, Eyes Mega Deal

It’s a story as old as time – A Scott Boras client’s free agency is stretching well beyond the New Year. The mastermind agent has made it a habit of elongating his client’s talks to get better deals. This strategy has led to Boras’ clients continuously striking gold, so it isn’t a surprise that Blake Snell is looking like he’s heading down the same road. 

The Cy Young winner has seen links with many teams, but things haven’t grown much beyond preliminary talks. While executives are still worried about the long-term health of Snell, the bigger worry is just how long Boras is willing to stretch his free agency. With Spring Training right around the corner, is Boras about to pull off a Bryce Harper part two with Snell?

The ever-stretching free agency of Blake Snell – A masterplan?

In 2019, Scott Boras stretched Bryce Harper’s free agency till March. Eventually, his client signed the then-record $330 million deal. The agent has a reason for stretching things out. The market goes empty by the time Spring Training hits. As a result, teams that failed to make a huge signing are desperate, and this is exactly what Boras wants.

ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez recently made a bold prediction that neither Cody Bellinger nor Blake Snell will sign a contract in January. His reasons were simple – the money they seek just isn’t there. The market is still filled with less expensive alternatives for these Boras clients, so the teams aren’t desperate. But by February the situation might change. 

At the same time, one of Boras’ specialties is that he bundles players together for a team. For instance, his clients Marcus Semien and Corey Seager signed with the Texas Rangers just a few days apart. So again, could he be looking to merge Snell with one of his other clients? There are still teams like the San Francisco Giants who need a pitcher and a hitter. 

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What all of this means is that unless an exceptional contract comes in, Snell and Boras might wait as long as possible. But this is a risky strategy, as there’s already one team that has seemingly shifted its focus to another player.

Could this elongation lead to SnellZilla’s market getting thin?

Just a few days ago, the New York Yankees had pretty strong links with Snell. Most experts called it an obvious connection that could turn into something more soon. But then Marcus Stroman came into the picture and suddenly the Bronx Squad’s eyes started wandering. The links with Snell have remained, but they’ve become favorites for Stroman.

This could just be an anomaly, but there’s a risk that this becomes the norm in Snell’s free agency. But currently, with the Los Angeles Angels and the San Francisco Giants looking desperate for a pitcher, the super agent has the ball in his court for the time being.

Read more: Quiet Blake Snell Sweepstakes Set for Sudden Shift? Shota Imanaga Buzz Brings Market Change