We're only four weeks removed since the conclusion of the World Series and five less days since the free agency window opened. In a month that is usually filled with initial negotiations resulting in dozens of rumors surrounding the top free agents on the market, there has been some major news already.
The reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and left-handed starter Blake Snell agreed to a five-year, $182 million deal in a very surprising turn of events Tuesday night, per Jorge Castillo and Jeff Passan of ESPN. The Dodgers continue to add, and refuse to say no to adding talent to their roster.
Snell is previously known for his two Cy Young Awards and deep playoff runs with the Tampa Bay Rays and San Diego Padres. Snell also finished with a 1.23 ERA in his last 14 starts of 2024. While Soto is the biggest fish in the pond and has been the most sought-after player, Snell ended up being the tone-setter for the market rather early in this offseason.
Dodgers' first big offseason move puts immense pressure on Phillies to keep up
The Dodgers' starting rotation next season could include Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and Dustin May. It also sends a serious message to the rest of the NL that the gloves are off, and the Phillies need to respond in a big way. The Phillies will need to start putting their money where their mouth is.
If a team such as the Dodgers, with all their MVP and Cy Young talent, continues to stay aggressive, it should wake the Phillies up to make monumental moves to put them among the elite.
The Dodgers are taking their chances when they can afford to. Of Snell's $182 million, $65 million will be deferred over five years. Regardless of the fact that they committed over $1 billion in contracts last offseason, they're going for the best players available and willing to shell out what's needed to win.
The Dodgers continue to back end with millions in deferred money. It's perfectly suitable if players are willing to take money later on while also allowing their team to commit more in the current. Why can't the Phillies do that? They need to push themselves out of the current rut and breakthrough on a whole other level. They have legitimate payroll space and have no deferred money committed after 2027.
They need to separate themselves one way or another. It might take a massive deal to bring Juan Soto in or a big trade package for Garrett Crochet. Either way, it's not getting easier with the Dodgers playing chess and the rest of the league playing checkers. With an aging Phillies roster, they need to load up on as many positions as possible to take down the early NL favorites.