Editor's Note: This story updated Dec. 2, 2024.
Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell again headlined the MLB free agent class this winter on the heels of a 5-3 campaign with San Francisco in 2024, in which he had an ERA of 3.12 and 2.1 WAR in 20 starts with the club.
Snell, 31, has won Cy Youngs in both leagues, previously doing so in the AL with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018 and the Padres in 2023. After a slow start in 2024, Snell was excellent in the second half of the season, catching the attention of many will-be suitors this offseason.
Now, the Seattle native and his longtime agent, Scott Boras, took a drastically different approach to free agency than they did a year ago, when Snell took a less-than-great offer to go to S.F. This time around, Snell made his decision to join the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers before Thanksgiving, landing a five-year, $182 million contract.
BetCalifornia.com, as part of its coverage for eventual California sports betting, researched and developed odds for where Snell would play next season before his ultimate decision.
Blake Snell Free Agent Odds
Team | Odds | Percent Chance |
New York Yankees | +250 | 28.6% |
Los Angeles Dodgers | +400 | 20.0% |
Boston Red Sox | +450 | 18.2% |
New York Mets | +700 | 12.5% |
Cleveland Guardians | +1800 | 5.3% |
The Field/Stay With Giants | +550 | 15.4% |
Disclaimer: These odds are for information purposes only and are not available through licensed sportsbooks in surrounding states. Sports betting is not yet legal in California, but our site is monitoring what happens in the state and will let you know when sportsbooks like DraftKings and BetMGM become available.
Blake Snell Chooses Dodger Blue
As for teams that could have landed the two-time Cy Young winner, the New York Yankees topped our final board at +250 odds. The Dodgers were second on our list at +400 odds (20%).
The Yankees are just off a World Series loss to the Dodgers, a series in which NY's pitching staff struggled to pitch around the likes of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. Another ace like Snell to slide in next to Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon could have had Aaron Boone's squad thinking another run to the Fall Classic is in order.
The Mets (+700), meanwhile, are coming off a Cinderella run to the NLCS, and if anything are ahead of schedule under President of Baseball Operations David Stearns. Snell has never won a World Series, and the Mets could have sold him on their recent October run. Owner Steve Cohen has money to spend, and is also said to be pursuing free agent OF Juan Soto. A duo of Soto and Snell in NY next season just might have made the Mets the World Series favorites at most sportsbooks.
In the end, Snell chose a fair and competitive offer from the reigning champs, as he'll join Ohtani in the Dodgers' rotation next spring.
As far as when the wait will end for California sportsbook apps, stay with BetCalifornia.com for more coverage.
