Blake Snell has had a very exciting few weeks and now has another reason to rejoice.
The newest Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher, who signed a five-year, $182 million contract in early December, made another important announcement via social media.
Snell proposed to his love, Haeley, and she accepted.
Haeley also had a significant influence on Snell’s decision to join with the Dodgers.
“It was really easy, just because me and Haeley wanted to live here,” Snell said about his decision to join the Dodgers. “We’ve been talking about this for a while. And when you look at the team and what they’ve built and are accomplishing, it’s clear that you want to be a part of it. Look at the first three batters in the lineup. It’s difficult to compete against. So being on the other side and knowing they’ll be hitting for me is quite exciting.”
This offseason has been the polar reverse of what Snell had last year.
Snell stayed unsigned all winter before agreeing to a two-year, $62 million contract with the San Francisco Giants, with an opt-out after the first season.
Snell had a rough start to the season. He allowed more than one run per inning in his first six starts and spent a substantial amount of time on the injured list in the first three months due to groin difficulties. By mid-June, it was virtually clear that he would decline the opportunity to re-enter free agency following the season.
Everything changed when he returned after his second IL stay. Snell dominated the league in the latter stretch of the season, finishing as baseball’s greatest pitcher.
Over his final 14 starts, he had a 1.23 ERA and held opponents to a.123/.211/.171 slash line. By the end of the season, it was clear he would opt out of the remaining $30 million on his Giants deal.
Snell, 32, went 5-3 with a 3.12 ERA in 20 starts for San Francisco this season. His season was highlighted with a no-hitter against Cincinnati on August 2, one of only 16 individual shutouts in the majors this year. Over 104 innings, the lefty struck out 145 and walked 44 batters.
