One of the best pitchers to hit free agency this winter came off the board Tuesday night, a pitcher the Yankees were interested in.

Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell agreed to a five-year, $182 million contract with the defending champion Dodgers.

The left-hander spread the news on his own by posting a picture of himself in a Dodgers uniform on his Instagram account. Minutes later, reporters began confirming the blockbuster and sharing the unique details of his contract.

Not only does Snell’s contract have an average annual value of $36.4 million – slightly more than Gerrit Cole’s $36 million with the Yankees – but Snell will receive both deferred money and a $52 million signing bonus, according to multiple reports. received dollars. Like the moves on Shohei Ohtani’s historic deal with Los Angeles last winter, this gives the Dodgers the flexibility to continue spending and improving their current roster.

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Snell joins Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow in a loaded Los Angeles starting lineup. The Dodgers could also add another Japanese stud – Roki Sasaki – to that rotation later this winter.

None of the other 29 teams in the MLB will be happy about this signing. The Dodgers won the World Series last month and are only getting better by flexing their financial muscles.

However, Snell’s move to the Dodgers has a direct impact on the Yankees. Earlier Tuesday, before Snell made his decision, the Yankees had a Zoom call with the left-hander, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand also reported late Tuesday night that the Yankees – along with the Red Sox and Orioles – would face Snell. These competitors are expected to “remain active” in the market for top pitchers. Aces Corbin Burnes, Max Fried and Jack Flaherty are also available as free agents this winter.

One of the reasons the Yankees didn’t get Snell is the Juan Soto sweepstakes. As Heyman put it, their “almost complete focus” is on Soto, so their backup plans will have to wait.

Snell, who won his second Cy Young Award with the Padres in 2023, posted a 3.12 ERA in 20 starts with the Giants last season.