Does Blake Snell want to come home to Seattle?

Over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend free agent lefty Blake Snell made his way home and was seen at some big Seattle sports events. The Seattle native was at the Seahawks Thursday night game and raised the 12th man flag. Then on Saturday for the Apple Cup the former Washington Husky was in attendance as the Huskies beat Washington State University. This all begs the question, Does Blake Snell want to come home to Seattle and pitch for the Seattle Mariners?

According to Mike Tirico, it sounds like Snell wants to pitch for his hometown Mariners.

It is impossible to know if Tirico had actually spoken to Snell and asked if he would like to sign with the Mariners. This makes it hard to believe if it is really what Snell wants to do in free agency, but it is exciting to think about. Unfortunately there has not been any serious rumors connecting the Mariners with the free agent lefty starting pitcher. However this does not mean that they are completely out on Snell, they just aren't talking about it publicly or sharing it with any media members.

Regardless of whether or not Jerry Dipoto and the Mariners front office want to sign Blake Snell, the lefty is certainly putting himself in the Seattle sports spotlight. There are some benefits for Snell if he does want to come to Seattle. The first is that he would get to play for his hometown team and put on the uniform of the team he grew up cheering for and ultimately try to help get the Mariners their first championship. That would certainly be a meaningful accomplishment for him and the city.

Snell would also pitch in a very friendly ballpark and environment. Pitching in T-Mobile Park would certainly be an upgrade for him coming from San Diego and compared to American League East where he used to pitch with the Tampa Bay Rays. He would also not be the ace of the Mariners staff and could have some of the spotlight that might come with signing a big free agent contract because he would share a rotation with Luis Castillo, George Kirby, and Logan Gilbert.

So while it might be unclear to whether or not Blake Snell wants to come play for the Seattle Mariners and sign a contract with them, it is certainly fun for Mariners fans to dream about and hope for. It would also be exciting to see the Mariners sign a big time free agent and make a big move. Hopefully the Mariners will make a move soon and get the hot stove burning hot in Seattle.