26. Blake Snell

When a front office orchestrates a major blockbuster trade for a reigning award-winner, they are deliberately aiming for an exceptional, almost rare achievement. In December 2020, the San Diego Padres did exactly that by making a large deal involving multiple prospects with the Tampa Bay Rays to acquire left-handed starter Blake Snell. Known for his fastball and a sharp mix of breaking pitches that earned him the American League Cy Young Award in 2018, Snell was welcomed in Southern California with high expectations. Although his early time there was marked by inconsistency and mechanical issues, it eventually culminated in one of the most dominant single-season pitching performances in modern baseball history.

To be equitable, his 2021 introductory campaign with the Padres was notably challenging, marked by shorter innings and inconsistent command. Snell endeavored to establish a consistent rhythm in his new milieu, often grappling with his delivery, ultimately finishing the summer with a 4.20 ERA and a 1.322 WHIP across 27 starts. Despite these mechanical difficulties, his innate ability to induce swings and misses persisted unequivocally, as evidenced by his accumulation of 170 strikeouts in merely 128.2 innings of play.

The 2022 schedule showed a steady, middle-ground progression as he settled into his surroundings. Though his traditional 8–10 record didn't turn heads, he flashed elite frontline capabilities in the second half, lowering his ERA to a sharp 3.38 and striking out 171 batters over 128 frames, helping anchor a deeper postseason run.

The third year was what they paid for. While he issued a major-league-leading 99 walks, his skill in deep counts and his unhittable stuff allowed him to eliminate traffic on the bases. He finished with a 14–9 record, leading the league with a stunning 2.25 ERA, a formidable 182 ERA+, and just 5.8 hits allowed per nine innings. He also achieved a personal best with 234 strikeouts, ending the summer by allowing only 2 earned runs over his last 23 innings. His command in tough situations earned him widespread national recognition, and Snell won the 2023 National League Cy Young Award. By securing this trophy, he joined an elite group of just seven pitchers in baseball history who have won this award in both leagues.

The Padres would make the playoffs in 2024, but did so without Snell, who left the club for their NL West rival, San Francisco, in free agency.  In San Diego, he had a 30–29 record, 575 strikeouts in 436.2 innings, and a sharp 3.22 ERA across 83 career starts.