Snell forgoes last start and shifts focus to free agency

SAN FRANCISCO — Late in the season, the Giants allowed some players to go home early. Wilmer Flores, Tom Murphy and Mason Black have all been unable to see the field this year and have cleaned out their lockers.

Outside Blake Snell's locker, a stack of cardboard moving boxes was piled above the 6-foot-3 left-hander as he met with reporters Saturday morning to discuss his decision not to play his final start to the season, his looming exit and free agency is expected to follow.

Snell was expected to start the Giants' second-to-last game of the season against the Cardinals on Saturday, but was cut late Friday night and replaced by Tristan Beck.

“Just looking at it, I wanted to pitch while we were in and had a chance. We played against playoff teams, so I wanted to play against them too. This game doesn’t mean anything if you’re not playing a playoff team,” Snell said. “I think it was probably the best case scenario. If they were a playoff team, I would pitch. The integrity of the game. I want to make sure I give it my all. If I have a chance to ruin someone's playoff hopes, I would happily do it. I just talked to people very close to me about it and I thought it was the best thing.”

While manager Bob Melvin said he wished Snell had made his scheduled start, Snell said the organization was “understanding of that and my position.” The two-time Cy Young winner, 31, all but confirmed his plans for 2025 forgoing a $30 million salary and pursuing a long-term contract in free agency.

“If you look around the league, you see some guys that for whatever reason… be it workload, whatever, a lot of things happen, that's not completely unusual,” Melvin said. “Of course we would have liked him to have started, but he made the decision that he felt was best for him.”

With six shutout innings on Sunday in Kansas City, Snell lowered his ERA to a league-best 1.23 in 14 starts since July 9 with 114 strikeouts in 80⅓ innings. With a 3.21 ERA across all 20 starts, the overall body of work didn't quite match his 2023 Cy Young campaign, but it looks significantly better than it did two months into his tenure in San Francisco, when he didn't had won one game and had an ERA of 9.51.

Snell didn't sign until March 19, didn't make his debut until the fourth series of the season, and didn't turn into the full version of himself until his second stint on the injured list with a strained groin. He said he hoped his free agency -Experience this winter will be different.

“I think it was more down to the teams. It wasn’t me,” Snell said of his slow-moving market. “I think what I’ve been able to do this year will make teams more aggressive sooner.”

Despite winning the National League Cy Young last season, Snell did not receive the offer he was looking for and was one of several high-profile players who entered spring training still unsigned. Other teams, Snell said, “just wanted me to continue to show the dominance that I think I've shown. I think that's going to make the market different.”