The Los Angeles Dodgers don’t have enough to be MLB World Series champions, so they are already building the team for the upcoming season. A former All-Star with a long career will join the team led by superstar Shohei Ohtani.
MLB free agency is entering to a big moment, and the Dodgers want to capitalize on winning their eighth World Series to become an irresistible destination for most of the league’s top players. The vacant spot left by Julio Urías’ departure also strengthens the need to fill roster spots.
The Dodgers were also looking for a pitcher to come out of the field to intersperse plays with ace Walker Buehler. The significant addition of Los Angeles in free agency will be important to improving the team’s rotation.
Dodgers blockbuster trade
The former All-Star who joined the Dodgers in a blockbuster trade to help Shohei Ohtani is none other than Blake Snell, who arrives in Los Angeles on a 5-year, $182 million contract, MLB expert Jeff Passan reported on his X account (formerly Twitter). The starting pitcher comes from the San Francisco Giants.
What can Snell bring to the Dodgers?
Dodgers acquire quality performances with Snell. The World Series champions get the two-time Cy Young winner in the first nine-figure deal of the winter, so you can tell he was a highly sought-after target. On the other hand, the Los Angeles team buys an elite left-handed pitcher, who has been a standout performer with the Giants.
At 31 years old, Snell will have a great opportunity to regain the level he showed in the 2023 season, when playing for the San Diego Padres he posted a league-leading 2.25 ERA in 32 starts, striking out 234 batters in 180 innings. That performance earned him the second Cy Young Award in his career.
Details of Snell’s blockbuster trade to Dodgers
The Snell deal, pending a physical exam, does not include opt-out clauses, but it does contain deferred money, a limited no-trade clause, and a $52 million signing bonus, according to MLB Network’s Mark Feinsand.