So far this off-season, one thing is for sure: the Los Angeles Dodgers are all about going big or going home! The Dodgers broke all records last year with the Shohei Ohtani deal, a whopping $700 million for the Japanese star. The result was a World Series title, so the team knows that to win some, they have to spend big and get the best players. This time, they have ventured big again, with Blake Snell for a whopping $182 million contract.
The Dodgers lineup is already stacked with some top-class players—including pitchers like Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Clayton Kershaw. And now, they have Blake Snell too, a two-time Cy Young winner and one of the most savage pitchers in the MLB. While rival fans and critics aren’t thrilled with Snell making it to the Dodgers, Blake himself is more than happy; he is excited.
Blake Snell is looking forward to annoying Clayton Kershaw
Blake Snell was a free agent last season too, but didn’t get that good of an offer last time. He signed a two-year contract worth $62 million with the San Francisco Giants, which included an opt-out option for 2025, and, well, he got what he was worthy of—joining a championship-worthy team with the LA Dodgers. But while that excites him the most, having the opportunity to play alongside legend Clayton Kershaw is a dream come true for Snell.
“I told Andrew I need my locker next to Kershaw.”
Blake Snell is excited to be able to learn from Clayton Kershaw
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: @THEREAL_DV) pic.twitter.com/cDXrdJJ9Z0
— AM 570 LA Sports (@AM570LASports) December 4, 2024
When asked about the opportunity to team up with Clayton Kershaw, Blake Snell didn’t hold back his excitement, saying, “Man, it’s going to be a dream come true.” Well, it sure seems like he is a Kershaw fan. Not only that, he even had a special request to the manager: “I told Andrew I need my locker next to Kershaw.” Snell added that Clayton Kershaw has just done so many amazing things in his career, so being able to talk to him and pick his brain gets him excited. But that wasn’t all.
Blake Snell mentioned that Clayton Kershaw will be annoyed with him for sure. “He is going to get annoyed with me; that’s my goal. I will be asking questions non-stop. I can’t wait to learn from him.” Kershaw is 36 now but was first drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers when he was 18. Over the years, he threw over 2,700 innings, so, learning from him is a pitcher’s dream.
A major reason Blake Snell said YES to the Dodgers
Blake Snell didn’t have to think much about signing that contract with the Dodgers, probably. After all, the team was interested; the lineup was good, and they were the champions. But there was another major reason he must have said yes, and it’s because he and his wife, Haley, wanted to live in LA for some time now. He told ESPN recently, “It was really easy, just because me and [partner] Haeley wanted to live here.”
Plus, Snell revealed in the interview that he always wanted to own a home. “It’s been renting, renting, so to actually have a place to go to that mine that we can make it home,” he mentioned. Snell said that owning a home will make things so much better given he will have a place to go to, no matter the scenario. “Just because I will have a place where I can finally relax, tough moments or big moments have a place where I can go to. It’s so important; I mean, I can’t stress that. I never felt that,” Blake added.
As things worked out well in the end for Blake Snell, now, with spring training arriving, he will get to bond more. Snell mentioned he can’t wait for it, so are you excited to witness him in the Dodger blue? Let us know below.
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