2 Dodgers offseason decisions that already look genius, 1 that looks awful

Signing Blake Snell to a massive contract seems like a blunder so far for the Dodgers

The Dodgers struck the starting pitching market quickly, signing Blake Snell to a five-year, $182 million contract while nearly every top free agent starter was still available on the open market.

For Snell, a two-time Cy Young winner, earning the long-term, big money deal was a slam dunk after being forced to settle for a one-plus-one pillow contract deep into March the previous offseason after the bidding war he hoped for never materialized.

For LA, Snell was a luxury. The team has an abundance of high-end starters and later would add another, as they emerged victorious in the Roki Sasaki sweepstakes. However, that doesn't mean that Snell was not a risk.

While he's shown that he can be downright dominant at times, leading the league in ERA twice with a stellar 1.89 mark in 2018 and a 2.25 ERA in 2023, he's also shown he can be human. In his worst seasons, Snell has seen his ERA balloon past 4.00, with a 4.29 mark in 2019 immediately following up his first Cy Young campaign.

He's also seen his control falter, posting sky-high BB/9 numbers like 2021's 4.83 performance, as well as a 4.95 BB/9 in 2023. Point being, as dominant as he can look at times, he's also apt to put up some very pedestrian performances fueled by bouts of battles with his command.

Perhaps more importantly, Snell has never been the picture of health, topping 129 innings pitched in a single season just twice in his career, and recording a lengthy injury history that has run the gamut between minor bumps and bruises and serious concerns regarding his arm.

Unsurprisingly, Snell has landed on the IL this season after just two starts withleft shoulder inflammation, an injury that is both concerning for the short and long terms. While it could be nothing that a little rest can't cure, it could also be a warning sign for a much more grave problem.

And therein lies the rub with Snell. Consistency in both performance and availability are the reasons why, despite taking home his second Cy Young trophy in 2023, he was forced to settle for what was essentially a one-year deal.

The Dodgers, while not known for the health of their pitchers, have the depth the whether the storm without him, and have the financial might to not let his contract become an albatross, even if he doesn't pitch consistently and spends long stints on the IL moving forward. Still, with so many other options that would've provided more security, it was curious to see them go this route.

Moreover, from a resource allocation standpoint, it doesn't make a ton of sense to tie up a roster spot on a guy whose highs are enormous, but who can just as easily bottom out. For a team on a quest to build a dynasty, perhaps more secure options like Max Fried or Corbin Burnes would've made sense if they wanted to add another ace.

As good and deep as the team seems, let's not forget that the rotation was running on fumes by the time they reached the World Series last year. For $182 million, they should be buying a workhorse and not a boom or bust hurler who's just as likely to spend months on the IL as he is to dominate consistently from one start to the next.