Where will Blake Snell sign this offseason?

After signing a two-year, $62 million contract with the San Francisco Giants, Snell recovered from a rough start and returned to form in the second half. But his contract with the Giants includes an opt-out that he is expected to exercise.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic made 25 offseason predictions, and one of them included Snell signing a three-year, $105 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles to replace Corbin Burnes.

Even after his rough start to the 2024 season, Snell will be expensive. Ultimately, he finished the year 5-3 with a 3.12 ERA. But if the Orioles lose Burnes, it might not be a bad idea to sign Snell on a short-term basis.

They need an ace in their starting lineup, someone who can be trusted to take the ball in postseason games, and Snell obviously has a strong postseason track record.

The 31-year-old obviously brings a bit of a risk factor as he will be on the injured list twice in 2024. So that could impact his market in terms of contract length, but Baltimore would be wise to make a play for him.

The Orioles are clearly in win-now mode after another trip to the postseason. They won 91 games and secured the top wild card spot in the American League.

But Burnes may be out of their price range and is certain to sign a long-term deal, while Snell is more in the market for a shorter-term signing. This is where the Orioles could strike and acquire one of the best free agents on the market.

It will be interesting to see what's in store for Snell this offseason, but don't be surprised if Baltimore takes a chance on him as they try to stay competitive.

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