(Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
The San Diego Padres were supposed to be one of the best teams in baseball this year.
After all the moves they made this offseason, San Diego was coming into the year with a loaded roster.
Yet, just about all their top players have failed to reach expectations.
Last year, the Padres made it to the NLCS.
This year, we will not see them in the postseason.
But there has been one player that has played at an elite level.
That is starting pitcher Blake Snell.
He has been the best pitcher in the National League this year and seems destined for another Cy Young award.
He won the AL Cy Young in 2018 when he was with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Snell has even made impressive history in his last time out.
According to ESPN Stats & Info, Snell is the first pitcher since 1893 to have 160 Ks and under 20 runs allowed in a 20-game span in a single season.
Since the mound was moved to its current distance in 1893, Blake Snell is the first pitcher with 160 Ks and under 20 runs allowed in a 20-game span in a single season.
Across multiple seasons, the only other player to do it was 1999-2000 Pedro Martínez (h/t @EliasSports). pic.twitter.com/GeBeob2VHx
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 14, 2023
The only other player to do that was Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez, who did it across multiple seasons.
It is hard to argue with the production of Snell this season.
He has been nothing short of sensational and is the one bright spot in San Diego.
Snell leads all of baseball in ERA at 2.43, and he has 217 strikeouts in 167 innings.
The only knock on Snell is that he walks a lot of batters.
He has 93 walks on the season, which leads MLB.
Even with the walks, Snell does not allow many runs and he is deserving of the NL Cy Young.
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