What is Scott Boras Doing?
As I sit here and wonder about the so-called “Boras Four,” it’s irritating. At the beginning of the off season between the 2023 and 2024 season, Scott Boras decided his biggest clients would hold out for as much money as possible. Likely asking for record breaking contracts, which is in the agent’s modus operandi. The four players I’m speaking about are of course; Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, Matt Chapman and Cody Bellinger. And since the beginning of the off season, two of them have yet to sign contracts.
Matt Chapman signed with The Giants and Cody Bellinger decided to resign with the Cubs, but Boras’ elite pitchers are still holding out on signing a contract. Of course, there has been been plenty of speculation as to which teams would sign Snell and Montgomery, but nothing has happened. But I want to understand where these four players and their agent are coming from. Is it about fair pay for unbelievable talent or is it greed for the sake of greed.
Personally, I thought maybe the Giants would have signed Blake Snell, especially after losing Tristan Beck for the season to injury. It’s true Alex Cobb’s timeline for return is looking to be faster than originally expected. And Robbie Ray should be back by the All Star break. But most of The Giants’ rotation, for the moment, are rookies. Specifically Kyle Harrison, Keaton Winn and Mason Black. I thought for sure they would make a play for Snell and after Gerritt Cole got hurt, I thought the Yankees would too. But the fact that I’m hearing the 2023 NL Cy Young award winner wants to play for the Angels, I know that it’s all just hearsay until the ink is on the contract.
I’m assuming Scott Boras will get a bigger payday depending on what his clients make, thus it makes sense for him to tell them to hold out. But does it make sense for the players? Specifically does it make sense for Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery to wait this long to sign. They’re both missing valuable spring training time, which would normally be spent warming up for the season as well as developing friendships with teammates. The season is less than two weeks away and the two top pitching free agents have not signed contracts, that’s weird.
“The Yankees reportedly offered Snell a six-year contract worth $150 million, but that wasn’t enough. Now, the best offer the 2023 NL Cy Young winner can retrieve is (per Bob Nightengale) a two-year, $66 million deal.” -Fansided Dot Com
I’m assuming both Snell and Montgomery will sign contracts before the 2024 season begins. And I’m sure Boras will make sure they are some of the most lucrative contracts in all of Major League Baseball. As a Giants fan, I hope is that the Dodgers don’t sign anyone else. But also spoken as a Giants fan, it would be nice to sign one of these two starters. Whether it’s Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery, it would make the Giants a much more competitive team. San Francisco went out and got themselves the bats to get the run support, now we need a rotation that can use that run support to win ball games.
Written by Zachary Casciato 2024
