Padres: Previewing the team’s 2021 starting rotation

Padres: A former Cy Young winner ready to prove his durability

It’s pretty rare when you have two legitimate Cy Young candidates atop the rotation, but that’s the enviable position the Padres find themselves in this season.

Blake Snell, fresh off an unforgettable World Series experience that saw him get pulled by Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash despite dominating the entire game, is ready to return to the Fall Classic and finish the job in 2021.

No one questions the 28-year-old’s stuff. That’s always been evident to anyone who watches him take the ball. But getting through an order more than twice has proven to be a tall task for the left-hander – and he’s looking to overcome that challenge this year with San Diego.

Snell relies on a four-pitch mix that includes a four-seam fastball, changeup, slider and curveball. That fastball is known for its spin and movement. Making sure that’s not coming out flat will go a long way toward his success on the mound in San Diego.

Better yet, he comes with long-term team control. The southpaw is entering the third year of a five-year, $50 million extension he previously signed with the Rays. Cost control and the potential to go toe-to-toe with the game’s best? That’s a rarity – and one the Friars will enjoy.

• Steamer Projection: 12-7, 151 IP, 3.39 FIP, 11.14 K/9, 3.35 BB/9