SAN DIEGO (Neth.) – Blake Snell handed the ball in Game 6 of the World Series, shaking his head after manager Kevin Cash’s curious pitching change.
With three years left on his contract, Snell hardly thought this could be his last moment with the Tampa Bay Rays.
The San Diego Padres, determined to go all the way, really wanted him.
The upstart Padres completed their takeover of the Rays’ left-handed ace on Tuesday, shipping four potential clients in exchange for the 2018 American League Cy Young Award winner.
The Rays will host Luis Patiño and Cole Wilcox and wide receivers Francisco Mejía and Blake Hunt – all considered good payoff from a San Diego system that has been supplying the farm for years. The Padres dropped the quartet for a 28-year-old with World Series experience who should fit alongside stars Fernando Tatis Jr and Manny Machado.
Snell gives the up-and-coming Padres an established ace at the top of the rotation as they try to catch the NL West’s Los Angeles Dodgers. San Diego is also on the verge of acquiring Chicago Cubs starter Yu Darvish, sources familiar with ESPN’s Jesse Rogers and Jeff Passan have said.
“They’re super exciting,” said Snell. “They are a team that enjoys playing. They are show-offs and they can hit.”
Snell was 4-1 with a 3.24 ERA in 11 starts during the pandemic-shortened 2020 regular season, then went 2-2 with a 3.03 ERA in six postseason starts for the American League champions.
He pitched spectacularly in the sixth inning of Game 6 of the World Series against the Dodgers, before Cash eliminated him after 73 pitches. The move backfired when Los Angeles rallied for a 3-1 victory that secured the series.
Snell backed Cash’s decision and reiterated that support on Tuesday.
“I respect him and have always trusted him,” said Snell. “You know how to win. We joined the World Series because we won.”
Snell said he was stunned and saddened to leave Tampa Bay. He expected the Rays to trade him before his contract expired, as the low-budget franchise was unlikely to commit to a long-term deal. But I didn’t expect the move to come so soon.
“The Padres really loved me and they were persistent, and I’m glad for that,” said Snell. “But it’s something that saddens me.”
With a young and talented team with Tatís Jr short stop and Machado on third base, the Padres finished with the second-best record in the National League this year at 37-23 – six games behind Los Angeles. and made it to the National League playoffs for the first time since 2006.
San Diego’s injury-exhausted rotation was a mess as the postseason rolled around, but the Padres managed to beat the St. Louis Cardinals in the first round before being swept by the Dodgers in three games in the divisional series.
Mike Clevinger, acquired from the Cleveland Indians in August, is not expected to return from the Tommy John operation until 2022, but the Padres have other quality starters in Dinelson Lamet, Zach Davies and Chris Paddack. Left-handed MacKenzie Gore is one of the best potential pitchers in baseball, the jewel of a deep farm system.
“This team can play and we’re going to pursue a World Series, which is of course the most exciting part of all of this,” said Snell.
Of all left-handed starters in the major leagues last year, Snell finished in first place in strikeout percentage (31%) and sixth in ERA.
“This acquisition is part of our overall strategy to build a consistently winning baseball club for the great city of San Diego,” said Padres owner Peter Seidler. “I welcome Blake to the Padres and know that he will be happy to play for our enthusiastic and supportive fans in 2021 and beyond.”
Snell has three years and $ 39 million left on a five-year $ 50 million contract he signed with the Rays in March 2019. He is owed $ 10.5 million next year, $ 12.5 million in 2022 and $ 16 million in 2023 – Bargain payments for one of the best pitchers in baseball.
Patiño could compete to fill Snell’s vacant spot on the Tampa Bay rotation in 2021. The 21-year-old Colombian has one of the best pitching prospects in baseball with a hard fastball and a plus slider. He made his Major League-debut in 2020 with 10 relief appearances and one start, going 1-0 with a 5.19 ERA. He struckout 21 batters but walked 14 in 17 1/3 innings.
Wilcox is a 21-year-old who was selected in the third round of the 2020 University of Georgia draft. At six feet, Wilcox has shown some excellent things, but he sometimes struggles with his control.
Mejia, 25, became San Diego’s top receiver during the 2019 season, hitting .265 with eight home runs in 79 games. A left thumb injury limited him to 17 games in 2020. Mejia has been one of the game’s most promising young receivers since making headlines with a 50-game hitting streak in the minor leagues, although questions remain about his defensive reliability. .
Hunt is a 22-year-old who spent 2019 in Class A before the 2020 minor league season was wiped out by the coronavirus. He hit .255 with five home runs in 89 games for the Fort Wayne TinCaps two seasons ago.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.