Tampa Bay Rays ace pitcher Blake Snell is no fan of the idea of playing high-risk baseball for less money. In fact, when it comes to the question of risking infection while playing under MLB’s proposed revenue sharing model, Snell says: “It’s just not worth it.”
Snell outlined his position in a video post to social media on Monday.
“Y’all gotta understand, man, for me to go — for me to take a pay cut is not happening, because the risk is through the roof,” Snell explained on his Twitch channel. “It’s a shorter season, less pay.
“No, I gotta 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 you guys think differently, but the risk is way the hell higher and the amount of money I’m making is way lower. Why would I think about doing that?”
Major League Baseball is proposing a 50-50 revenue split with the players, as opposed to the prorated deal that the players accepted six weeks ago. The revenue split is something new to baseball, which is the country’s only major sports league without a salary cap. That portion of the owner’s proposal is expected to be immediately rejected by the players.
Despite saying he “love[s] baseball to death,” Snell doesn’t see the high-risk/lower reward offer from MLB as being worth it.
“Bro, I’m risking my life,” Snell said. “What do you mean it should not be a thing? It should 100% be a thing. If I’m gonna play, I should be getting the money I signed to be getting paid. I should not be getting half of what I’m getting paid because the season’s cut in half, on top of a 33% cut of the half that’s already there — so I’m really getting, like, 25%.
“On top of that, it’s getting taxed. So imagine how much I’m actually making to play, you know what I’m saying?”
In a text message to the Tampa Bay Times, Snell addressed how some might perceive his comments as greedy.
“I mean honestly it’s just scary to risk my life to get Covid-19 as well as not knowing and spreading it to the others,” Snell wrote.. “I just want everyone to be healthy and get back to our normal lives cause I know I miss mine!”
Snell has a five-year deal with the Rays worth $50 million.
Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter @themightygwinn
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