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Less than a month after winning the World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers are once again spending big to add one of the best pitchers in baseball to their star-studded roster.
Blake Snell and the Dodgers have agreed to a five-year contract worth $182 million, according to a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday night because the deal is contingent on a successful physical exam.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner personally spread the news by posting a photo of himself wearing the Dodgers’ No. 7 jersey on social media.
Snell joins two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani and fellow Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto at the top of Los Angeles’ rotation, with the Dodgers following Ohtani’s $700 million, 10-year contract and Yamamoto’s $325 million, 12-year contract this offseason. This is the first major contract of the season. We traded last winter.
Ohtani did not pitch this year as he is recovering from right elbow surgery, but is expected to return to the mound in 2025. After a great season in which he only appeared at bat as a designated hitter, he became the first player in the National League to win his third MVP award.
Yamamoto started 18 games as a rookie and had a record of 7 wins, 2 losses, and an ERA of 3.00, and then won 2 games in 4 games in October.
Down to three healthy starting pitchers during the postseason, Los Angeles overcame a series of expected injuries to its rotation to win its second World Series title in five years.
Then right-handers Jack Flaherty and Walker Buehler became free agents this fall, creating an additional void on the staff. However, the addition of Snell will fill the big spot at the top with a legitimate ace.
Snell’s average annual salary of $36.4 million compares to the only players under contract effective next year: Ohtani ($70 million), Philadelphia pitcher Zack Wheeler ($42 million), and New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge ($40 million). ($37), which would be the fifth-highest after Texas pitcher Jacob deGrom ($37). million). Among expiring contracts, pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander (both worth $43.33 million) also exceeded this figure under contracts agreed to with the New York Mets.
ESPN first reported the details of Snell’s contract.
Earlier this month, Snell decommitted from his contract with San Francisco to become a free agent for the second straight offseason after his only year with the Giants was slowed by injury.
The left-handed pitcher signed in March for a two-year total of $62 million, including a $17 million signing bonus due on January 15, 2026, a $15 million annual salary in 2024, and a $30 million annual salary in 2025 (of which $15 million is $15 million). Agreed to a dollar contract. Payment has been deferred and will be paid on July 1, 2027.
Snell, who turns 32 next week, has started 20 games this year with a 5-3 record and a 3.12 ERA, including a no-hitter against Cincinnati on Aug. 2 and one of only 16 major league pitchers this season. It was one of the few individual shutouts ever. He had 145 strikeouts and 44 walks in 104 innings.
He was sidelined from action from April 19th to May 22nd due to a muscle strain in his left adductor muscle, and from June 2nd to July 9th due to a muscle strain in his left groin.
Snell won the Cy Young Award in 2018 with Tampa Bay and in 2023 with San Diego. He went 76-58 with a 3.19 ERA in nine seasons with the Rays (2016-20), Padres (2021-23) and Giants.
Because he turned down a qualifying offer from San Diego last November, the Giants are ineligible to make a new offer to Snell and will not receive compensation for the draft pick.
Los Angeles expects All-Star right-hander Tyler Glasnow and three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw to return to the rotation next year. Other potential starters, if healthy, include right-handers Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin.
Ohtani is scheduled to undergo right elbow surgery in September 2023 and left shoulder surgery on November 5th.
Glasnow has not pitched since August 11th due to right elbow tendonitis.
Kershaw, who turns 37 in March, underwent foot and knee surgery on November 7.
May is expected to return from Tommy John surgery in July 2023 and surgery to repair a tear in his esophagus in July of this year.
Gonsolin spent 2024 rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.
Yamamoto was sidelined from June 15th to September 10th due to a strained right triceps, but later returned and started in four postseason games, posting a record of 2 wins, 0 losses, and an ERA of 3.86. , completed the first season of a $325 million contract.
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AP Baseball Writers Janie McCauley and Mike Fitzpatrick contributed to this report.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
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