San Diego Padres fans happy to hear Blake Snell will be their opening day starter

Blake Snell was one of the central reasons why the 2018 Tampa Bay Rays are considered one of the best pitching teams in the league at the time.

That season, Snell won 18 games and posted an ERA of 1.89, good enough to lead the league in both categories. After the Rays' narrow failure to make the playoffs, he was awarded the AL Cy Young Award.

The following season, the team re-signed Snell to a 5-year deal worth $50 million. At the time, it was the largest contact ever given to a pitcher before arbitration.

Despite solid campaigns in 2019 and 2020, Blake Snell was traded to the San Diego Padres ahead of the 2021 season for a grouping of prospects. In his first two seasons, his ERA hovered around the 3.80 mark, and he has been a reliable 170+ strikeout pitcher.

"Blake Snell will start on Opening Day for the second time in his career. Yu Darvish will start in a minor-league game tomorrow. Bob Melvin indicated Darvish will then probably need another outing in Arizona before he’s ready for his season debut." - Dennis Lin

Padres fans were excited to learn that Snell would be taking the mound for his team for the opening day matchup against the Colorado Rockies on March 30.

Many fans are resorting to the use of Snell's nickname "Snellzilla," which was developed during his days pitching in the Little League in his hometown of Seattle, Washington.

Blake Snell is expected to be one of the top arms for the Padres after Joe Musgrove, who pitched 181 innings for the Padres last season, broke his leg while exercising earlier this spring.

2023 will represent the second opening day start of Snell's career. He was credited with a loss at the hands of the Houston Astros in a 5-1 Rays' defeat back during the 2019 season.

Blake Snell's appearance on the mound will kick off an exciting season for the San Diego Padres

After hearing that Snell will start on the mound, Padres fans can also look forward to seeing a flurry of talent, old and new, take to the field for their team.

Fernando Tatis Jr. will return in April after serving an 80-game suspension, while former Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts will make his debut on the first day of his eleven-year deal. Blake Snell will be looking to start the season off on the right note.