San Diego Padres: MLB insider gives push to Blake Snell in NL Cy Young chase

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Blake Snell is expected to be right in the middle of what should be a tight competition for the 2023 National League Cy Young Award. One MLB insider, however, used his Sunday column to remind BBWAA voters exactly how much Snell has meant to the Padres this season.

In his Sunday column for USA Today, MLB insider Bob Nightengale wrote plenty of praise for Snell, who is coming off a stretch of incredible outings for the Padres and could be argued as the team's Most Valuable Player this season.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Blake Snell gets a tip of the cap in his chase for the NL Cy Young Award

Nightengale wrote, "Snell has been nothing short of sensational in his last 20 starts, yielding a 1.31 ERA, and has pitched at least six shutout innings in a league-leading 21 starts this year. He has not permitted more than three runs in any of his last 21 starts, going 13-3 with a 1.33 ERA."

Those are certainly solid numbers and hopefully the numbers that BBWAA voters will consider compared to the high walk rate that is often pointed out by those who believe Snell may be a step behind Justin Steele of the Chicago Cubs, Spencer Strider of the Atlanta Braves, or other candidates for the award.

Nightengale also reminded readers that Snell has already captured the Cy Young Award in the American League, earning it following a 2018 season where he posted an AL-low 1.89 ERA and 217 ERA+ while limiting batters to an MLB-best 5.6 hits per nine innings. If Snell wins the award this season, he would earn a place in MLB history, becoming just the seventh pitcher to win the award in both leagues.

Snell is expected to make his next start on Tuesday as part of a three-game set at Petco Park against the Colorado Rockies. At most, Snell likely has three starts left in the regular season.