Blake Snell reportedly inks a five-year, $182 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers

Former Cy Young Award recipient Blake Snell, aged 31, has entered into a five-year contract valued at $182 million with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the reigning champions of the World Series, as reported by Jeff Passan and Jose Castillo.

As part of this agreement, Snell will receive an upfront signing bonus of $52 million. The contract does not include an opt-out provision and features deferred payments. The finalization of the deal is contingent upon Snell successfully passing a physical examination.

Having previously played for the San Francisco Giants, Snell will not have to travel far to join his new team, as he transitions to a division rival in the National League West. This marks a significant move in Major League Baseball's free-agent market.

The newly signed pitcher has even prepared a jersey swap for his Instagram followers.

In the previous season, Snell recorded a 5-3 win-loss record with a 3.12 earned run average, achieving 145 strikeouts and allowing 65 hits over 104.0 innings pitched. Notably, he achieved a career-high strikeout rate of 12.5 strikeouts per nine innings.

During his last 14 starts, he posted an impressive 1.23 ERA, with opposing hitters managing a slash line of .123/.211/.171 against him.

Despite experiencing a challenging first half of the 2024 season, which included an injury setback, Snell regained his Cy Young-caliber performance after the All-Star break and concluded the season on a strong note with the Giants.

Snell made the decision to opt out of his two-year, $62 million contract signed prior to the 2024 season with the Giants, a choice that appears to have been a prudent one for the left-handed pitcher.