Rumors of Yankees closing in on reigning Cy Young winner are ‘total BS’ (report)

Are the New York Yankees a contender to sign reigning NL Cy Young winner Blake Snell? It depends on who you ask.

This comes after a report from MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand Monday that the Yankees had made an offer to Snell. Meanwhile, USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale wrote that New York has “serious interest” in the 31-year-old lefty.

The reports quickly hit conflicting responses. One of the most colorful comes from our friends over at NJ.com, who report that the story of New York making an offer is “total BS,” citing an MLB source.

Were the reports for real? Or were they smokescreen to help drive up the price for Snell’s other suitors? That’s the question as of Tuesday.

Columnist Bob Klapish -- also from NJ.com -- wrote that the Yankees’ pursuit of Snell is “still more fantasy than reality” at this point.

That seems to be the consensus out of New York. There’s nothing imminent between the Yankees and the top free-agent pitcher left on the market. The Los Angeles Angels and San Francisco Giants remain the frontrunners.

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However, the Yankees are the Yankees. So as long as there’s a mathematical possibility and interest out of New York, you never know what’s going to happen.

Still, Snell would come at an astronomically high price for the Yankees. New York currently has the highest payroll in baseball. According to The Athletic, the Yankees would end up having to pay more than double Snell’s actual salary due to their status above the luxury cap.

As of Tuesday, teams are starting to settle into their spring training programs and Snell is still on the market. The 31-year-old has shown that he can be one of the best pitchers in baseball when he’s at his best.

Snell started his career with the Tampa Bay Rays, spending his first five MLB seasons there, winning the AL Cy Young award in 2018. He was then traded to the San Diego Padres ahead of the 2021 season.

In 2023, Snell went 14-19 with a league-best 2.25 ERA en route to his second All-Star appearance and second Cy Young win.