Rays' Blake Snell says 'I'm not playing unless I get mine'
that's in my body forever," Snell said. "The damage that was done to my body, that's going to be there forever. So now I got to play with that on top of that. So, y'all got to — I mean — you'all got to understand, man, for to go, for me to take a pay cut is not happening because the risk is through the roof, it's a shorter season, less pay. Like, bro, this — yeah, man, I've got to, no, I've got to get my money. I'm not playing unless I get mine, OK? And that's just the way it is for me. Like I'm sorry if you guys think differently, but the risk is way the hell higher and the amount of money I make is way lower. Why would I think about doing that?"
Snell was 21-5 with an American League-best 1.86 ERA in 2018, then went 6-6 with a 4.29 ERA last year, when he broke a toe in his right foot on April 14 while moving furniture and missed nearly two months due to left elbow surgery on July 29.
He is due $10.5 million in 2021, $12.5 million in 2022 and $16 million. His mind already is turning to 2021.
Snell's Twitch stream was posted to Twitter by a person who works with the MLB Network.
"In my head, I'm preparing for next season. I'm preparing — well, I'm actually preparing for right now but as if I'm preparing for next season. Like it's super weird, man," Snell said. "I'm just saying, man, it just doesn't make sense for me to lose all of that money and then go play and then be on lockdown, not around my family, not around the people I love and get paid way the hell less, and then the risk of injury runs every time I step on the field. So is it's, it's just, it's not worth it. It's not. I love baseball to death. It's just not worth it."
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