The Philadelphia Phillies will be active as buyers at this season’s MLB trade deadline. A lot of speculation on big names like Shohei Ohtani, Nolan Arenado, and Juan Soto. The question is, how big of a splash do they want to make? Maybe sure up the starting pitching rotation. Could a former Cy Young award winner, San Diego Padres ace Blake Snell be a fit for the Phillies?
Why Blake Snell?
Snell spent the 2018 season with the Tampa Bay Rays. He accumulated a league-leading 1.89 ERA over 180.2 innings pitched. Since then, he hasn’t been able to replicate those numbers, but he is still a top-tier pitcher in the MLB.
In 2023, Snell posted a 2.71 ERA over 103.0 innings pitched. He would slot in as one of the most productive starters in Philadelphia’s rotation. It would be a scary trio with Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, and Blake Snell. That could be the most potent 1-2-3 punch in the MLB.
Could Former Cy Young Award Winner Join the Phillies?
It addresses the question of the fifth starter the Phillies have been trying to answer since Opening Day. Christopher Sanchez has been doing a decent job currently. Sanchez (0-3) took the loss Friday, allowing three runs on three hits and one walk over five innings against the Padres. He struck out five. The lefty came into this one riding high, having posted a 2.84 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 22:4 K:BB over his first five starts for the Phillies this season (25.1 innings).
This will also allow the Phillies to add a dominant long innings arm into the bullpen in the postseason. Moving Ranger or Walker to the bullpen can give the Phillies an extra advantage they were missing last postseason.
Snell is a free agent after the season, so the cost to acquire him, while steep, won’t be as high as a pitcher with extra years of team control. But he is generating some interest from other teams, potentially driving up the price. Adding Snell would give Philadelphia the boost it needs to make a strong run at a postseason spot and, ultimately, a chance at another World Series appearance.
Al is one of the two co-creators of Edge of Philly Sports. Al started radio and podcasting in 2012 and covering sports in 2015. A lifelong Philly sports fan since watching the Eagles, Phillies, Sixers, and Flyers with his grandfathers at age 7. Al always looks at the other side of the hot topics and gives his different outlook on those topics. Web and Graphic Design.
