MLB insider points to Blake Snell & Juan Soto as two top free-agent signings that have yet to deliver

Juan Soto and Blake Snell were two high-value free agents ahead of the 2025 season. Many teams were after these two, but Soto chose the New York Mets, while Snell signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Snell agreed to a five-year, $182 million contract. Soto, on the other hand, signed a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million contract, shattering Shohei Ohtani's free-agent contract.

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However, neither of the two All-Stars has shown up in the way that their fanbases had hoped. Snell is currently on the IL, and Soto is trying to figure out his life without Aaron Judge protecting him. MLB insider Jim Bowden points out the two's failure to deliver, via The Athletic.

"The Dodgers committed $182 million over five years to get Blake Snell, who went on the injured list with shoulder inflammation after two starts," said Bowden.

The Dodgers pitcher made just a few starts before he hit the IL on April 6. He was supposed to start his throwing program earlier this week, but faced a setback after he was feeling ill.

"Even Juan Soto, the winter's most prized free agent, hasn't quite lived up to expectations. Entering Wednesday, he had a .254 batting average and five homers, but then homered twice in a game against the Diamondbacks" he added.

Bowden also spoke on Juan Soto and his cold start to the new season. However, he did have a two-homer game against the Diamondbacks in their latest game on Wednesday.

Juan Soto potentially heating up at the plate while Blake Snell's status is still up in the air

Los Angeles Dodgers - Blake Snell (Photo via IMAGN)

In Juan Soto's latest start, he showed everybody what he was capable of. He saw the ball really well, and he could start getting more comfortable with pitchers being careful when pitching to him.

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For Blake Snell, fans should hold their breath. There is still no clear timetable for the hard-throwing lefty to return, and he is not the only Dodgers pitcher trying to get healthy.

They also recently placed Tyler Glasnow on the IL, alongside Blake Treinen, Michael Kopech, and Evan Phillips. It would be a real squeeze for the Blue Crew if they were to lose any more pitchers to the IL.

This is certainly not the way Snell envisioned starting with his new club. As a major competitor, he will do his best to get back on the mound as soon as possible.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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Edited by Jared "Bloomy" Bloom