Image via Sporting News
You've heard of Barbenheimer, now get ready for Snellinger!
It's late enough in the offseason to where either of these players signing should happen any day now.
I'm not an advocate for either one of these guys getting a huge payday, as both have their issues and inconsistencies when it comes to putting up production, but hey, they both have an elite upside in the primes of their careers.
Snell was a Cy Young winner and will have a plethora of teams vying for his services, so we'll start with him.
Baltimore Orioles
Eek, that Burnes trade is looking more and more necessary, as ace from last year Kyle Bradish is going to begin the season on the IL with an elbow sprain and John Means isn't expected to be ready by Opening Day.
Snell would cost quite a bit but the Orioles' low payroll means they can afford it and they could certainly use some help in their rotation.
New York Yankees
It's a tough stretch to say that the Yankees can afford to sign Snell, because my goodness do they have a large payroll already, but their rotation could really use him.
Gerrit Cole, Marcus Stroman, Carlos Rodon, and Nestor Cortes are a quality "Fantastic Four," if you will, but after that the depth gets tricky at best.
Snell not only gives them a 5th option, but also pushes a lot of their depth back into the minors.
San Fransisco Giants
Perhaps the most logical landing spot for Snell, the Giants are projected to have a tough rotation with ace Logan Webb providing most of the value, and San Fransisco has shown an eagerness to spend.
Snell wouldn't even have to move that far, as he'd remain in California in the NL West and would get to play in another relatively pitcher-friendly park.
San Fran would have a 1-2 punch of Cy Young candidates with a Snell signing to go along with bringing in Robbie Ray, Jorge Soler, and centerfielder Jung Hoo Lee.
Now that we've covered the Snell landing spots, let's talk about Cody Bellinger.
Cleveland Guardians
Cleveland has been unwilling to spend any major money on free agents or resigning Fransisco Lindor, but they have a major hole at the center field position (or either of the corner outfield spots, because my goodness other than Steven Kwan they really suck in the outfield).
Bellinger could be another elite defender in their lineup as well as a great power bat to give a bit more juice to a lineup that desperately needs it (no, the Naylor brothers, Jose Ramirez and Andres Gimenez aren't enough to field a competitive roster, even in the AL Central).
Enter Bellinger, whose performance and injury history might spell a little volatility, but the Guardians need to do something.
Chicago Cubs
Pete Crow-Armstrong is a wonderful defender and could eventually develop into a competent centerfielder, but instead of waiting around for it, the Cubs could shift Bellinger to right field and have Seiya Suzuki DH (because while he improved last season, Bellinger is still far better).
Or, if they're convinced Suzuki's improvement in right is permanent (very well could be), Bellinger could return to first, keep Crow-Armstrong in center, and further establish the Cubs as one of the best defensive teams in baseball.
Miami Marlins
The Marlins, like the Guardians, seem hesitant to spend any sort of money on anyone, and bringing in Rays GM Peter Bendix as the POBO (because Kim Ng building an elite pitching staff that led the Marlins to a playoff appearance in 2023 wasn't enough to give her the promotion) doesn't seem like a departure from that norm, as Bendix' hiring is yet another example of owners looking for front office execs who can build a system of success predicated on finding value in the margins while maintaining a low payroll.
But hey, crazier things have happened, and if the Marlins brought in Bellinger they could fill in Jorge Soler's production with Bellinger shifting to a corner outfield spot and moving Bryan De La Cruz to the DH spot so his defensive concerns are no longer an issue.
Then Miami would have a top-of-the-lineup of lefties like Bellinger, Jazz Chisholm, Jr. and Luis Arraez.
While many of these fits are weird and depend on teams being willing to spend money on fielding a competitive roster (a novel idea that many owners chafe at for whatever reason, oh wait, greed), it's getting ridiculous that so many free agents, both elite and mid-level, are left unsigned as Spring Training begins ramping up.
Here's to hoping at least one of Snellinger gets signed by the All-Star break.