SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Exactly one month and one day ago, Farhan Zaidi stood beneath the awning covering the pavilion down the right field line at Scottsdale Stadium, where the Giants’ president of baseball operations had just introduced Jorge Soler, and downplayed expectations of any additional reinforcements.
“Look,’” he said, “tomorrow’s the first full-squad workout and it just gets kind of harder, not just operationally to add people, but you feel some level of commitment and obligation to the guys who are here competing for jobs. It’s a little bit more disruptive to add at this point. …
“We’ve theoretically had three and a half months to figure out a deal and if it hasn’t happened yet, at some point organizationally, you just need to turn the page and focus on the players you have.”
Sometime around the first inning of their exhibition against the Reds Monday night, word began to spread in the dugout that, once again, Zaidi’s proclamation had proven to be premature. As Bob Melvin prepared to address reporters afterward, a communications staffer rushed to his side and whispered a message in his ear. A smile crept across his face.
The Giants had agreed to terms with Blake Snell, reuniting the two-time Cy Young winner with his manager the past two seasons in San Diego. While the two-year, $62 million deal — including an opt-out clause after 2024 — was still pending a physical Tuesday afternoon, the news of yet another late addition created a palpable buzz in the clubhouse.
“It was old news when I heard about it,” chuckled Kyle Harrison, who didn’t receive word until he exited his start Monday in the sixth inning. “I heard in the clubhouse, someone just murmured that we got Snell. I was like, ‘Oh, crap!’ We could use him.”
Since Harrison and the rest of the Giants’ pitchers and catchers reported for camp last month, Zaidi has brought in Matt Chapman, a four-time Gold Glover, to be their everyday third baseman; Jorge Soler, who hit 36 homers last season, to be a regular presence in the middle of their lineup; and now, Snell, a two-time Cy Young winner.
The totality of their offseason now encompasses six free-agent additions — Jung Hoo Lee, Jordan Hicks, Tom Murphy, Soler, Chapman, Snell — and a high-profile trade acquisition, Robbie Ray. Altogether, their potential spending exceeds more than $400 million, second only to the Dodgers’ billion-dollar offseason.
Nearly half those commitments — a possible $172 million to Soler, Chapman and Snell — have come during spring training.
“It’s definitely different,” said Logan Webb, whose announcement as the Giants’ Opening Day starter coincided with the news of Snell’s signing. “I’ve never had new teammates at the end of spring. But when you get guys like that, I don’t care if they show up the day before, the night before, as long as they’re on my team, it’s all good.”
Unlike with Chapman, whose signing was followed by the unceremonious release of J.D. Davis, Snell fills an acute need. He occupies the open slot in the starting rotation, rounding out a group that now features the top two finishers in last year’s National League Cy Young voting, Snell and Logan Webb, and will add a second Cy Young winner around midseason when Ray returns from Tommy John and flexor tendon surgeries.
“Obviously we would’ve liked to have him right in the beginning of camp, but the momentum that we’re going to have as a team and a club going into Opening Day, knowing that we have a rotation that has the potential it has, is lifting everybody up,” starter Alex Cobb said, visibly glowing at his locker. “Hitters, the staff, bullpen – bullpen went through a lot last year – defense, everybody’s just got a shot of adrenaline.”
While excitement was the operative emotion, outfielder Mike Yastrzemski provided some perspective, saying of the delayed nature of the signing, “Obviously it’s not an ideal situation for us. It’s not ideal for Snell because he should’ve been on a team months ago.”
According to reports, Snell has been throwing live sessions, most recently going four innings and 65 pitches. While the Giants are hopeful he can get into a Cactus League game before they leave Arizona this weekend, Cobb understands firsthand the challenges of playing catch up. During his free agency in 2017-18, he didn’t sign with the Orioles until the third week of March and didn’t get into an exhibition before he was in the regular season rotation.
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“I just wasn’t ready,” said Cobb, who took a 6.41 ERA into the All-Star break that year. “It took me three months, probably, to get rid of that negative momentum. … Getting up to game speed is a challenge. But it sounds like Blake been doing a much better job than I did getting ready.”
Snell will have a close confidant to consult, having broken into the big leagues during Cobb’s final two seasons in Tampa. Meeting up in the outfield each time their teams play, the two pitchers will now get the chance to talk much more frequently.
Cobb said he couldn’t help himself from texting Snell as the process played out.
“I tried. I tried. But he was tight-lipped,” Cobb said. “I wasn’t trying to get any information out of him ever. I wanted him to know that I’ve been where he’s at, one – I signed really late my free agent year – and two, how much he would love San Francisco if he did come here.
“He just shot me a ‘Can’t talk about it.’ I was just like, ‘Good for you. Good for you. You’ve matured a lot since your rookie year.’”