Astros' AL West rival rumored to be targeting Blake Snell, but it's not who you think

The Houston Astros could certainly use Blake Snell, but given the organization's financial constraints this offseason, it's quite unlikely that the two-time Cy Young Award-winner will make his way to Space City this winter. But Snell may indeed be on his way to the AL West.

Snell, a Seattle native, voiced his desire to go back home last winter when he entered the free agent market, but the Seattle Mariners were not reciprocal to Snell's homecoming wishes. Instead, the left-hander lingered in free agency for quite some time, and eventually landed a two-year deal with the San Francisco Giants. The deal included an opt-out after the 2024 season, which Snell exercised.

Now on the open market once again, Snell is going to draw increased interest from a number of teams. Though he would probably love to have the Mariners show interest this winter, that's unlikely given Seattle's absurd pitching depth and need to upgrade the lineup. However, another AL West club is showing early interest in the southpaw.

Astros' AL West rival, the Texas Rangers, rumored to be targeting Blake Snell

According to The Athletic, the Texas Rangers are interested in signing Snell this offseason. The Rangers, along with the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Giants, are all said to have some level of interest in acquiring Snell. Many experts expect the lefty to secure a four- or five-year deal this offseason.

The Astros' Lone Star State rival just lost Nathan Eovaldi after the right-hander declined his player option and is now a free agent. Though Texas may attempt a reunion with Eovaldi, Snell's résumé is much more impressive. The Rangers are also lost Max Scherzer to free agency, and their current rotation features the fragile Jacob deGrom and another recovering starter in Tyler Mahle.

Astros fans may not like it, but there's a very real possibility that Texas will try to add Snell to their pitching stable this offseason. The Rangers suffered a World Series hangover last year, but landing Snell would put them right back into the thick of the AL West race heading into next spring.

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