Two months after giving Blake Snell an early hook in the World Series, the Tampa Bay Rays are shipping their ace out of town.
The Rays have agreed to a trade with the Padres that will send Snell to San Diego in return for four of Tampa Bay's top prospects: pitchers Luis Patino and Cole Wilcox and catchers Francisco Mejia and Blake Hunt, The Athletic's Dennis Lin reported late Sunday night.
Snell's departure from the American League East is a massive development, as the 2018 Cy Young award winner arguably was the best pitcher in the division.
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While the Red Sox will benefit in the near term from not having to face Snell -- who is 7-3 with a 2.59 ERA in 12 career starts against Boston -- the Rays improved their already-loaded farm system via a prospect haul led by the 21-year-old Patino, the No. 23 overall prospect in baseball according to MLB.com.
Tampa Bay also freed up $11.1 million by moving on from Snell and could put that money toward a veteran arm like Corey Kluber, who reportedly is on the Red Sox' radar, as well.
The Rays still have a decent rotation led by Tyler Glasnow and Ryan Yarbrough and again should battle the New York Yankees for AL East supremacy as the Red Sox continue their rebuild.
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The Padres, meanwhile, continue to load up after their first winning season in 10 years, as Snell will join a pitching staff that includes Dinelson Lamet, Zach Davies and Chris Paddack and will get Mike Clevinger back from Tommy John surgery in 2022.