SAN DIEGO: Blake Snell gave up the ball in Game 6 of the World Series, shaking his head after manager Kevin Cash’s curious pitching change.
With three years left on his contract, Snell hardly considered it to be his final moment as a Tampa Bay Ray.
The San Diego Padres, determined to go all the way, just wanted him so much.
Rookie Padres completed the acquisition of the Rays left-hander on Tuesday, sending four potential customers in exchange for the 2018 American League Young Young League Award winner.
The rays will receive Luis Patino and Cole Wilcox on the right and captains Francisco Mejia and Blake Hunt, all well-regarded young men from a San Diego system that has been exploiting the farm for years. The Padres split from the quartet for a 28-year-old with world series experience and a youthful confidence that should fit alongside stars Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado.
Snell gives the Ascending Padres a consolidated ace at the helm of the rotation as they try to catch the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Western National League. San Diego is also about to acquire Chicago Cubs owner Yu Darvish, according to known sources in the deal to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers and Jeff Passan.
“They’re super exciting,” Snell said. “They’re a team that plays a lot of fun. They’re braggarts and they can spin the bat.”
Snell won 4-2 with an ERA of 3.24 in 11 starts during the reduced 2020 pandemic regular season, then went 2-2 with an ERA of 3.03 in six postseason starts for the league champions Americana.
He pitched spectacularly in the sixth inning of the World Series Game 6 against the Dodgers before Cash withdrew him after 73 pitches. The play came when he met in Los Angeles for a 3-1 series victory.
Snell was behind Cash’s decision and reiterated that support on Tuesday.
“Respect and I’ve always trusted him,” Snell said. “He knows how to win. We got to the World Series because we won.”
Snell said he was surprised and saddened to leave Tampa Bay. He anticipated that Rays would negotiate it before his contract expired, as the small-budget franchise is unlikely to commit to a long-term deal. But I hardly expected the move to come soon.
“Parents really wanted me and were persistent, and I’m happy about that,” Snell said. “But it’s something that makes me sad.”
With a young and talented team featuring Tatís on the short field and Machado on third base, the Padres finished with the second-best record in the American League last season at 37-23 (six games behind Los Angeles). ) and made the playoffs for the first time since 2006.
San Diego’s exhausted rotation of injuries was in ruins when the postseason arrived, but the Padres managed to overcome St. Louis. Louis in the first round before the Dodgers swept them in three games in the division series.
Mike Clevinger, acquired in Cleveland in August, is not expected to return to Tommy John surgery until 2022, but the Padres have other quality headlines in Dinelson Lamet and Chris Paddack. Left-winger MacKenzie Gore is one of the best prospects for launching baseball, the jewel of a deep farming system.
“This team can play and we’re going to chase a World Series, which is obviously the most exciting piece for all of that,” Snell said.
Among all the left-handers in the major race last year, Snell ranked first in attack percentage (31%) and sixth in ERA.
“This acquisition is in line with our overall strategy to build a consistently winning ball club for the great city of San Diego,” said Padres owner Peter Seidler. “I welcome Blake to the Parents and I know he will enjoy playing for our enthusiastic and supportive fans in 2021 and beyond.”
Snell has three years and $ 39 million remaining on a five-year, $ 50 million contract he signed with the Rays in March 2019. He owes $ 10.5 million next year, $ 12.5 million. $ 2022 and $ 16 million in 2023: Reduced prices for one of baseball’s best pitchers.
Patino could compete for Snell’s vacant spot in the Tampa Bay rotation in 2021. The 21-year-old Colombian is among the best prospects for throwing baseball with a hard fast ball and a slider. He made his league debut in 2020 with 10 relief appearances and a start, 1-0 with an ERA of 5.19. He eliminated 21, but walked 14 for 17 innings.
Wilcox, 21, was caught in the third round of the University of Georgia’s 2020 draft. At 6 feet-5, Wilcox has shown exceptional things, but has sometimes struggled with his control.
Mejia, 25, became San Diego’s top receiver during the 2019 season, when he reached .265 with eight homers in 79 games. An injury to his left thumb limited him to 17 games in 2020. Mejia has been one of the game’s most promising young catchers since reaching the headlines with a 50-game streak in the minor leagues, although questions remain about his defensive reliability.
Hunt, 22, moved to Class A in 2019 before the coronavirus eliminated the minor league season in 2020. He hit .255 with five homers in 89 games for Fort Wayne TinCaps two seasons ago.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.