This Date In Transaction History: Blake Snell Trade
Today marks three years since the blockbuster trade between the Rays and Padres that sent former Cy Young winner Blake Snell across leagues.
The Surprise Trade Deal
On December 27, 2020, the Tampa Bay Rays made a surprising move by trading Blake Snell to the San Diego Padres. The Rays weren't under financial pressure to move Snell, but they felt that the prospect return was too good to pass up. Snell was under contract for the next three seasons with respective salaries of $10.5MM, $12.5MM, and $16MM.
In return, the Rays received a four-player prospect package headlined by Luis Patiño. The package also included Blake Hunt, Francisco Mejía, and Cole Wilcox. Patiño was highly regarded as one of the most talented pitching prospects in the sport, despite struggling in his brief MLB debut that season. Hunt was a borderline Top 100 minor leaguer, Mejía was a former top prospect who struggled against big league pitching, and Wilcox was considered a first-round talent that year.
Snell's Performance with the Padres
The trade didn't pan out as the Rays had hoped, as Snell found success with the Padres. After a solid first year with a 4.20 ERA, Snell rebounded in 2022 with a 3.38 ERA. It was in 2023 that he reached his ace-caliber potential, winning his second career Cy Young award. Snell became a free agent and is unlikely to return to the Padres, concluding his time with a 3.15 ERA and striking out 31.5% of opponents in 436 2/3 innings.
Despite Snell's success, the Padres themselves didn't achieve the level of success they had hoped for. They only reached the postseason once in the three years since the trade. A collapse in the second half of the 2021 season cost them a playoff berth, and they finished with an 82-80 record in 2023, outside of playoff contention.
Prospects in the Return Package
In terms of prospects, the trade didn't work out well for the Rays either. Luis Patiño saw MLB action from 2021-2023 but struggled with a 5.24 ERA. The Rays eventually traded him to the White Sox and he ended up back with the Padres after being claimed on waivers. Blake Hunt has slowly progressed in the minor leagues but was dealt to the Mariners for another prospect. Cole Wilcox underwent Tommy John surgery and had an underwhelming performance in Double-A. Francisco Mejía had some success with the Rays in 2021 but struggled offensively in the following years. He was designated for assignment and became a free agent at the end of the season.
Overall, the Snell trade turned out to be more lopsided in favor of the Padres. While the Rays received a strong prospect package, none of the players found significant success with the organization. On the other hand, Snell regained his ace-caliber form, leading the Padres to a Cy Young and becoming an impactful player for them.
