Wrinkle in Blake Snell’s contract just bought Dodgers another year of his services

The Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t just sign two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell last winter — they quietly insured him.

When the Dodgers handed Snell a five-year, $182 million contract, the reaction was predictable: elite upside, real injury risk, championship ambition. What wasn’t obvious at the time was a small but massive wrinkle buried in the deal — one that may have just bought L.A. an additional year of Snell’s services.

And in true Dodgers fashion, it’s the kind of advantage that only reveals itself after another parade.

Snell missed 119 days with a left shoulder injury during his first season in Dodger blue. Painful at the time, sure. But the fine print now matters: if Snell misses at least 90 days due to a specific injury — and isn’t traded — the Dodgers gain the right to exercise a $10 million club option for 2030.

Translation? The Dodgers just turned an injury season into long-term leverage.

Due to the injury, Snell’s 2025 regular season line doesn’t scream volume — just 11 starts, 61 1/3 innings — but the dominance never wavered. He posted a 2.35 ERA and double-digit strikeouts per nine. Then, when October arrived, Snell did what championship pitchers do: he showed up when it mattered.

Six playoff appearances. Five starts. A 3.18 ERA. A 1.00 WHIP. Another ring. For a team that measures contracts in trophies, Snell paid dividends even in a shortened season. Now, because of the IL threshold he crossed, the Dodgers may get him for another year at a relative bargain.

Blake Snell's contract details show that Dodgers are playing chess while the rest of the league plays checkers

Other teams sign stars and hope they stay healthy. The Dodgers sign stars, plan for injury, and make sure that if things go sideways, they still come out ahead. Deferred money. Signing bonuses. Conditional options. The contract wasn’t just about getting Snell to Los Angeles — it was about controlling the downside while maximizing the upside.

And now, at age 33, with another World Series run under his belt, Snell isn’t just a high-priced ace. He’s a potential 2030 rotation piece at $10 million — an absurd number in a league where mid-rotation arms are pushing three times that annually.

This is how dynasties stay dynasties.

The Dodgers didn’t panic when Snell went down. They didn’t rush him back. They trusted depth, trusted development, trusted October. And when the dust settled, they weren’t just champions again — they were holding another contractual advantage the rest of baseball didn’t see coming.

So yes, Snell’s injury mattered, but not the way most teams fear. For the Dodgers, it might have just extended the window — one more year, one more ace, one more example of how this organization keeps finding edges where others find excuses.

Another ring. Another clause. Another reminder that in Los Angeles, even adversity is carefully negotiated.