Blake Snell did exactly what he needed to do in his contract year. Snell, who pitched for the San Diego Padres in 2023, dominated the competition and won the National League Cy Young award. Yet, he remains un-signed in MLB free agency. Although Snell was previously linked to the Yankees, a recent report suggests that New York will not sign the veteran left-hander, per Brendan Kuty of The Athletic.

Snell is reportedly seeking a short-term deal with opt outs which would lead to a higher annual salary. The Yankees, meanwhile, are battling luxury tax concerns and signing Snell to a short-term deal would significantly impact their luxury tax situation. Additionally, the Yankees are reportedly open to giving Clarke Schmidt another chance in the rotation alongside Gerrit Cole, Marcus Stroman, Carlos Rodon, and Nestor Cortes.

So where will Snell sign? The Los Angeles Angels have recently been mentioned as a possibility. The San Francisco Giants are also a team to keep an eye on.

In similar fashion to the Yankees, however, many teams have been hesitant to offer Snell a contract.

Yankees, other teams hesitant to sign Blake Snell

MLB insider Ken Rosenthal said that Snell's decision to decline the San Diego Padres' qualifying offer may also be playing a role in teams' hesitancy to sign him. During an appearance on Foul Territory, Rosenthal noted that if Snell agrees to a short-term deal with an opt out, teams risk losing Snell after one season and a prospect since they can't offer him another qualifying offer.

This is something that is “bothering” teams according to Rosenthal. Rosenthal added that Blake Snell's potential Opening Day availability after missing the first part of spring training is also a “concern.”

In the end, Snell is a talented pitcher who can make a significant impact in any team's rotation. With the Yankees seemingly out of the Snell sweepstakes, it will be interesting to see which ball club takes a chance on the reigning NL Cy Young winner.