Blake Snell

Blake Snell
Snell in 2018
Tampa Bay Rays – No. 4
Pitcher
Born: (1992-12-04) December 4, 1992
Seattle, Washington
Bats: Left Throws: Left
MLB debut
April 23, 2016, for the Tampa Bay Rays
MLB statistics
(through 2018 season)
Win–loss record 32–20
Earned run average 2.95
Strikeouts 438
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Blake Ashton Snell (born December 4, 1992) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Amateur career

Snell attended Shorewood High School in Shoreline, Washington, where he played for the school's baseball team.[1][2] He committed to the University of Washington.[3] In his senior season, Snell recorded 118 strikeouts over 56 innings in route to a 8-0 win-loss record.[4]

Professional career

Draft and minor league career

Snell was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the first round of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft.[5] He signed with the Rays and made his professional debut with the Gulf Coast Rays where he was 1-2 with a 3.08 ERA in 11 games (eight starts). He spent 2012 with the Princeton Rays, pitching to a 5-1 record and a 2.09 ERA in 11 starts, and 2013 with the Bowling Green Hot Rods where he compiled a 4-9 record and a 4.27 ERA in 23 starts. Snell started 2014 back with Bowling Green and was promoted to the Charlotte Stone Crabs in May. On August 2, he pitched a rain-shortened no-hitter against the Daytona Cubs.[6][7] It was the first no-hitter in Stone Crabs history. In 24 total games started between the two clubs, he was 8-8 with a 3.19 ERA. After the season, he was named the Rays Minor League Pitcher of the Year.[8][9] Snell started 2015 back with the Stone Crabs and was promoted to the Montgomery Biscuits after he did not allow a run in 21 innings to start the season.[10] He was later promoted to the Durham Bulls. In 25 games (23 starts) between the three clubs, he was 15-4 with a 1.41 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP.[11] The Rays added him to their 40-man roster after the season.[12] Snell began the 2016 season with Durham.

Tampa Bay Rays

2016

Snell was promoted to the major leagues to make his debut on April 23, 2016 at Yankee Stadium.[13] Snell's first inning showed jitters, as he allowed a run off of a wild pitch. However he calmed down after that, striking out the side in the second inning, and went onto retire 12 of the last 14 batters he faced. Through the 2016 season for Tampa, Snell made 19 starts, finishing with a 6-8 record, 3.54 ERA, and 98 strikeouts over 89 innings.

2017

At the beginning of the 2017 season, expectations were high for Snell. However, Snell failed to work into the 6th inning in almost all of his first eight games, and was routinely touching 100 pitches in the fourth inning. After posting an ERA of 4.71 through 8 starts in 2017, Snell was demoted to Durham on May 13. On June 28, Snell was recalled and his turn around was evident. After July 23, Snell went 5-1 with a 3.31 ERA to finish off the 2017 season.[14] He finished the season with 24 starts, recording 119 strikeouts over ​129 1⁄3 innings with a 4.04 ERA.[15]

2018

Snell opened the 2018 season as the number 2 starter, behind Chris Archer. On June 3, 2018, Blake Snell tied an American League record by striking out the first seven batters he faced in a game against his hometown Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field. Snell would end the game allowing no runs in six innings and recorded 12 strikeouts. This was Snell's first career start at Safeco Field in front of many of his friends and family, an estimated 300, including the first professional start witnessed by his grandfather whom he considers a mentor.[16]

At the time of the All-Star team announcement, Snell was 12–4 with a 2.09 ERA, the lowest of all qualified pitchers in the American League. Despite his success, Snell was not named to the original AL roster. This led to wide scale criticism of the selection process by players, coaches, fans, and analysts.[17][18] After Corey Kluber opted out of the All-Star game due to injury, Snell was named his replacement, ending the controversy and awarding him his first career All-Star appearance.[19]

On July 23, Snell was put on the 10-day disabled list with shoulder fatigue.[20] He was reactivated on August 4 against the Chicago White Sox.[21] On August 21, Snell set a new MLB record with his 13th straight start allowing one earned run or less at home.[22] After allowing two runs at home against the Baltimore Orioles, Snell's streak ended at fourteen.[23] Snell was recognized as the American League Pitcher of the Month for August, during which he went 4–0 with a 1.08 ERA over five starts.[24]

On September 18, Snell recorded his 20th victory on the season, becoming the first Ray to accomplish this feat since David Price in 2012.[25] On September 23, Snell won his 21st game, setting a franchise record after pitching 6​2⁄3 scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts against the Toronto Blue Jays.[26] He was again named the American League Pitcher of the Month for September, in which he went 5-0 with a 1.26 ERA and 53 strikeouts over 35​2⁄3 innings. Snell became the youngest pitcher to win the award in consecutive months since Johan Santana in 2004.[27]

Snell finished his breakout season leading the majors in wins (21), adjusted ERA+ (219), and batting average against (.178), as well as leading the American League in earned run average (1.89) and wins above replacement among pitchers (7.5).[28] Snell's 1.89 ERA was the lowest in the American League since Pedro Martinez posted a 1.74 mark in 2000, and the third lowest in the AL since the designated hitter was introduced in 1973.[29]

References

  1. ↑ Kelley, Mason (June 5, 2011). "Shorewood left-hander Blake Snell has high hopes for MLB draft". The Seattle Times. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  2. ↑ Lommers, Aaron (December 31, 2016). "Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Blake Snell giving major league assist to his alma mater, Shorewood". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2017-05-13.
  3. ↑ "Blake Snell - Player Trophy Room | Perfect Game USA". www.perfectgame.org. Retrieved 2018-04-18.
  4. ↑ "Blake Snell's High School Timeline". MaxPreps.com. Retrieved 2018-04-18.
  5. ↑ Kelley, Mason (June 6, 2011). "Shorewood's Blake Snell drafted by Tampa Bay with 52nd pick". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on November 9, 2014. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  6. ↑ Heneghan, Kelsie (August 2, 2014). "Snell notches Stone Crabs' first no-hitter". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  7. ↑ Long, A. Stacy (August 2, 2014). "Stone Crabs' Snell throws no-hitter". Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved November 19, 2014.
  8. ↑ Berry, Adam (September 19, 2014). "Field, Snell among Rays' Minor League award winners". Tampa Bay Rays. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Rays prospect Johnny Field wins team's top minor-league player award". FOX Sports. September 19, 2014. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  10. ↑ Stephenson, Creg (April 27, 2015). "Tampa Bay Rays' top LHP prospect Blake Snell joins Montgomery Biscuits". Alabama Local News. Retrieved May 13, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Blake Snell Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  12. ↑ Chastain, Bill (November 20, 2015). "Rays add Blake Snell, five others to 40-man". Tampa Bay Rays. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  13. ↑ "Rays will call up top prospect Blake Snell". Sports Illustrated. April 22, 2016. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Blake Snell called up from Triple-A, will start for Rays on Wednesday | FOX Sports". FOX Sports. Retrieved 2017-07-19.
  15. ↑ "Blake Snell » Statistics » Pitching | FanGraphs Baseball". Retrieved 2018-04-18.
  16. ↑ "Despite Blake Snell's record-tying start, Rays lose again to Mariners 2-1". 2018-06-03. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
  17. ↑ "Blake Snell Snub Highlights Issue With MLB All-Star Selection System". SI.com. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Chris Archer on Blake Snell's snub from All-Star roster: 'Something like that can't happen'". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  19. ↑ Becker, Jake. "Rays starter Blake Snell added to All-Star roster after initial snub - NY Daily News". nydailynews.com. Retrieved 2018-07-14.
  20. ↑ "Rays place Blake Snell on disabled list with shoulder fatigue". 2018-07-23. Retrieved 2018-07-24.
  21. ↑ "Rays Journal: Pham on 10-day DL, Snell back on the mound". 2018-08-03. Retrieved 2018-08-04.
  22. ↑ "Steve Carney on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2018-08-22.
  23. ↑ "Marc Topkin on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2018-09-10.
  24. ↑ "Hamels, Snell named August Pitchers of Month". 2018-09-04. Retrieved 2018-09-04.
  25. ↑ "Milestone night for Snell: 20th win, 200th K". 2018-09-18. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
  26. ↑ "Snell picks up franchise-record 21st win of year". 2018-09-23. Retrieved 2018-09-23.
  27. ↑ "Snell, Marquez earn Pitcher of Month honors". 2018-10-01. Retrieved 2018-10-01.
  28. ↑ "Blake Snell Stats". Retrieved 2018-09-30.
  29. ↑ "Making a case for, against Rays' Blake Snell for AL Cy Young". Retrieved 2018-09-30.
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