Yankees trade target, All-Star snub Blake Snell is Giants star Odell Beckham’s new buddy

by Felix Pantaleón

Even Giants star wide receiver Odell Beckham was outraged when Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Blake Snell was snubbed for the 2018 MLB All-Star Game, which is on Tuesday, July 17, 2018 (7/17/18) at Nationals Park in Washington, DC. Snell is a potential trade deadline target for Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.

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Most of the baseball world was shocked Sunday by Blake Snell’s MLB All-Star snub.

The surprise reaction also spilled over into the cross-section of the NFL and celebrity worlds where Giants star Odell Beckham resides.

After Tampa Bay Rays teammate Chris Archer criticized his fellow MLB players for not taking the job of voting seriously enough and Houston Astros ace Justin Verlander criticized the timing of the old-school ballot submission process, Beckham joined in the social media conversation.

@snellzilla11 NO I KNOOOO THEY LYIN…. boy u better be on that all star team!!!!! [?] [?] [?]
— Odell Beckham Jr (@OBJ_3) July 8, 2018

Beckham and Snell reportedly were introduced by mutual friends and Beckham was a guest of Snell’s when the Rays played at the Los Angeles Angels earlier this season. Beckham is living and training in Los Angeles this offseason.

Before Beckham was smacking home runs during batting practice with the home team at Yankee Stadium earlier this month, he did so in May at Angel Stadium while wearing a throwback Rays jersey with Snell’s name on the back.

.@OBJ_3 can CRUSH. [?] pic.twitter.com/Z9grFq7X5y
— MLB (@MLB) May 19, 2018

Beckham and Snell might soon have an opportunity to spend more time together in and around New York City if trade rumors sending the 25-year-old left-handed pitcher to the Yankees for a host of top prospects come to fruition.

Snell is 12-4 with an American League-leading 2.09 ERA for the Rays, who are one game over .500. The Yankees are in the market for starting pitching with Masahiro Tanaka on the disabled list, Jonathan Loaisiga shut down (shoulder) in Triple-A and Sonny Gray struggling.

Snell is not eligible for free agency until after the 2022 season, whereas Beckham is on the final year of his rookie contract, though the Giants could control Beckham’s for two more years via the franchise tag.