4 free agent pitchers Dodgers now need to consider that they previously weren't

Blake Snell

Better yet, how about kicking the San Diego Padres while they're down? How about stealing a player from a division rival that has repeatedly owned you for years? Can't beat 'em? Buy 'em.

Blake Snell should win his second Cy Young award (he'll have one in each league!) when all is said and done this season, which is perfect timing for his first go in free agency. Though his consistency and health have been put into question thanks to how he's performed since 2019 (the year after he won the AL Cy Young with the Rays). the ceiling on Snell is the highest of anyone in this group.

He's pitching to a 2.52 ERA, 3.63 FIP and 1.26 WHIP this year, but those are far from his most impressive numbers. He's struck out 209 batters in 161 innings and has allowed just 110 hits (6.1/9). For his career, he's allowed just 0.9 HR/9. He has a good postseason track record, too. Across 12 games (10 starts), he owns a 3.33 ERA and 1.23 WHIP with 61 strikeouts in 48.2 innings pitched. He's utterly dominated the Dodgers in October (and during his time with the Padres during the regular season).

This is probably at least a $175 million contract, since Snell is entering his age-31 season and will have a very valid case for getting paid after Carlos Rodón got $162 million from the Yankees. But the investment is worth the best-case scenario production, which the Dodgers figure to get for at least half of the duration of any hypothetical contract (5-6 years?).

The Dodgers are losing at least one elite left-hander when November arrives, and it could very well be two. Snell is a logical replacement that comes with minimal concern when you look at the body of his work (188 starts, 3.26 ERA, 3.47 FIP and 1.25 WHIP in eight seasons). The Dodgers paid $103 million for Trevor Bauer when he sported a career ERA over 4.00. That makes any possible deal for Snell look like a no-brainer.