Blake Snell has had a very exciting past few weeks and has another reason to celebrate.
The newest Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher, who signed a five-year, $182 million contract in early December, took to social media for another major announcement.
Snell proposed to his girlfriend, Haeley, and she said yes.
Haeley also had a huge influence on Snell’s signing with the Dodgers.
“It was really easy, just because me and Haeley wanted to live here,” Snell said of his decision to join the Dodgers. “It’s something we’ve been talking about for a while. And when you look at the team, you look at what they’ve built, what they’re doing, it’s just something you want to be a part of. Look at the first three hitters in the lineup. It’s tough to go against. So to be on the other side and know they’re going to be hitting for me, it’s pretty exciting.”×
This offseason has been the complete opposite of what Snell experienced last year.
Snell went unsigned all winter and eventually agreed to a two-year, $62 million deal with the San Francisco Giants, which included an opt-out after the first season.
The season didn’t start well for Snell. He gave up more than a run per inning over his first six outings and spent significant time on the injured list in the first three months, dealing with groin issues. By mid-June, it seemed almost certain he would forgo the chance to re-enter free agency after the season.
Everything changed following his return from the second IL stint. Snell dominated the league down the stretch, finishing the season as the best pitcher in baseball.
Over his final 14 starts, he posted a dazzling 1.23 ERA and limited hitters to an .123/.211/.171 slash line. By season’s end, there was no question he would opt out of the remaining $30 million on his Giants contract.
Snell, 32, posted a 5-3 record with a 3.12 ERA across 20 starts for San Francisco this season. Highlighting his year was a no-hitter against Cincinnati on August 2, one of just 16 individual shutouts in the majors this season. The lefty recorded 145 strikeouts and issued 44 walks over 104 innings.
