NL Cy Young winner Blake Snell turns his focus to his future in the MLB – “I’ll be thinking about free agency because that's what's next"

Former San Diego Padres star pitcher Blake Snell opened up about his future in the MLB after winning the 2023 NL Cy Young Award following one of the best seasons of his career. It was his second time winning the award, after winning it in 2018 while playing for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Snell became a free agent at the end of the season and said that he hasn’t yet thought about his next move but will now focus on making a decision on his future.

Blake Snell was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2011 MLB Draft and made his way up the minor leagues to earn his major league debut in 2016. He went on to have a breakthrough season in 2018, winning his first Cy Young Award after finishing the season with an astonishing 1.89 ERA. The following year, he agreed to a five-year contract with the Rays but was traded to the San Diego Padres after the 2020 season.

Snell made a slow start with the Padres, with an unimpressive season in 2021 and an injury-riddled one in 2022. However, he has returned to his best over the 2023 season, leading the MLB with a 2.25 ERA. He became only the 22nd player in MLB history to win the award multiple times. Speaking on his free agency after winning the award, Snell said:

“I’ll be thinking about free agency because that’s what’s next.”

Blake Snell becomes seventh pitcher to win the Cy Young Award in both leagues

While it is true that the 2023 MLB season may not have been Blake Snell’s best year in terms of numbers, it certainly was a historic one. The left-handed San Diego Padres starter became only the seventh pitcher in the history of the league to win the coveted award in both leagues.

Snell’s first Cy Young came in 2018 while playing for the Tampa Bay Rays and now his second win puts him in elite company with the likes of Max Scherzer and Randy Johnson.