MLB Free Agency: Yankees 2024 Rotation Frozen With Blake Snell’s ‘Strong Preference’ for LA Angels?

On one hand, the former Padres’ star, Blake Snell, has been a hot topic in the free agency market since he stepped his feet into offseason. On the other hand, the New York Yankees, who have been in search of a solid pitching prospect throughout the off-season, have been sharing strong links with the 2x Cy Young Award winner. Now, as the rumors swirl around about Snell’s preference for the Los Angeles Angels, the Yankees’ rotation seems frozen.

The Pinstripes have been associated with Blake Snell, for quite a few months until recently. But they couldn’t extend a win-win offer, letting the Snell market open to all. Now, if the starting pitcher heads for another team except the Yankees, then how will their pitching segment look without him?

Will the Pinstripes’ Snell pursuit end abruptly, leading to a frozen rotation?

According to MLB insider ESPN’s Buster Olney, two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell has highlighted his preferences for a West Coast team. He remarked, “I’m hearing that Blake Snell’s preference—a strong preference—is to go to the Angels.”

During Thursday’s edition of the Baseball Tonight podcast, Olney reflected on the “back-and-forth” between the two parties, stating: “There [has] been back-and-forth with that team. That’s where I think he’s going to land.”

As Olney, “The Angels have been in negotiations with him.” He further added, “But if I’m sitting here today and had to guess, that’s the team he’s going to sign with,” bolstering the chances of the contract.

Taking the worst into consideration, the Yankees will fall short of depth if they lose Blake Snell at this moment. Given their available starting pitchers list with Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Marcus Stroman, Nestor Cortes Jr., and Clarke Schmidt, though they have a solid pitching segment, at the same time, they lack the depth needed in case an injury bug hits the team. In such a context, adding Snell could give them unmatched strength heading into the regular season.

Read More: Are the New York Yankees still in for Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery? Struggling Pitchers Raise Concerns

But with each passing day, the probabilities are getting smaller for the Yankees as rumors predict an association between the Cy Young winner and the LA Angels. But does the Los Angeles-based team need such a strong addition?

Does the Angels have ground for Blake Snell?

Maybe they do. The Los Angeles Angels, who recently lost their star pitcher, Shohei Ohtani, dwell at No. 23 in the MLB based on their ERA record. Here, for obvious reasons, the team can get benefits from Snell, given his previous season’s ERA record of 2.25. On the other hand, for a team that has its best starter, Tyler Anderson, with 164 career starts in eight seasons, Snell could become the most experienced starter with 191 starts.

Moreover, Mired in a lengthy postseason drought, the Los Angeles Angels haven’t seen October baseball since 2014 and haven’t won a playoff game since 2009. The addition of Blake Snell could be the spark they need to finally break through and return to the playoffs. However, neither side has confirmed anything yet and fans need to check the headlines to catch the further announcements.

Read More: Angels Owner Arte Moreno to Break Habit and Sign Blake Snell? Lefty Ace’s Strong Interest Impacts Sweepstakes