Blake Snell opts out of Giants contract, becomes free agent ahead of 2025 season

The 31-year-old Snell started 20 games for the Giants in 2024, one year after winning the NL Cy Young Award

Left-handed pitcher Blake Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award recipient, opted out of his contract with the San Francisco Giants on Friday to become a free agent, according to Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic. It was an expected move by Snell, who signed a two-year deal in the spring that included a player option for the 2025 season valued at $30 million. Clearly he and agent Scott Boras feel that there's an opportunity to sign a more lucrative pact this winter -- they seem likely to be proven correct on that front.

CBS Sports recently ranked Snell as the fourth best free agent on the market. Here's what we wrote:

Snell recovered from a truncated spring training and a pair of early trips to the injured list to accumulate the fourth-best ERA+ of his career. That doesn't sound impressive at first blush, but consider the circumstances and remember he's a two-time Cy Young Award winner. Snell still has the same basic profile that he did this time last year, when he was embarking on his first foray into free agency: he has elite bat-missing ability, yet some teams will scoff at his inefficiency. Fair enough, we suppose. Snell continues to produce year in and year out all the same. At some point, you have to just tip your cap and accept that that's the way it's going to be. In turn, here's hoping he lands the long-term deal that he was denied 12 months ago. 

Snell, 31, started 20 games for the Giants in 2024. He amassed a 3.12 ERA (124 ERA+) and a 3.30 strikeout-to-walk ratio even following a rough beginning to his year. His contributions were nevertheless estimated to be worth 2.1 Wins Above Replacement, according to Baseball Reference's calculations.

In addition to winning the 2023 National League Cy Young with the San Diego Padres, Snell also took home the 2018 American League Cy Young as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays.