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Every baseball fan has their eyes glued to the National League Division Series between the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers. That includes active players, most notably San Francisco Giants pitcher Blake Snell, who interacted with fans on social media after the Dodgers' 8-0 rout in Game 4 Wednesday night.
Snell, who pitched for the Padres from 2021 through 2023, teased making an appearance at Dodger Stadium for Friday night's winner-take-all Game 5. Fans on Instagram asked if Snell would be at the game, to which he replied, “Yeah I gotta watch this game live 🔥.”
The series has been nothing short of electrifying as the NL West rivals go at each other for the second time in the past three MLB playoffs. The Padres defeated the Dodgers in the 2022 NLDS with Snell on the roster.
Snell helped lead San Diego to a crucial Game 3 win in that series, allowing one run in 5 1/3 innings to earn the win. The Padres would clinch the series the next day before losing to the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS.
It remains to be seen whether Snell will have a rooting interest, but the obvious assumption is that he's pulling for his former team. Regardless, it is awesome to see active players staying locked into the sport after their season ends.
Blake Snell gearing for another free-agent run?
Blake Snell's free agency last offseason was one of the most fascinating stories to follow. He, along with several other clients of Scott Boras, failed to earn the long-term offers they anticipated getting and rode out the market until spring training.
Snell signed a two-year contract with the Giants less than two weeks before Opening Day in March. That contract includes an opt-out, one Snell will almost certainly trigger to hit the open market again this winter.
It's hard to blame him if he opts out of his Giants contract despite the $38 million he's owed next season. Snell should get longer multiyear offers after having a spectacular second half of the season.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner struggled to begin the season, making only six starts before July due to various reasons. Snell failed to earn a win in those starts and never pitched into the sixth inning.
Once he returned from a groin injury in July, Snell unlocked a new gear and was arguably the best starting pitcher in baseball after the All-Star break. He posted a 5-0 record with a 1.23 ERA, 114 strikeouts and 10 quality starts in 14 appearances.
Those starts included a 15-strikeout performance through six innings, followed by a no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds, the first of Snell's MLB career. It was also the first time he pitched into the ninth inning in the big leagues as he collected his first win of the season with the no-no.
Fans on social media tried to get something out of Blake Snell's offseason plans, joking that he should sign with whichever team wins Game 5 between the Padres and Dodgers. While that surely won’t be how Snell decides his next team, it wouldn’t be surprising to see San Diego and Los Angeles in the mix for the best left-handed pitcher in free agency.
