SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) — Blake Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner as best pitcher, has opted out of his San Francisco Giants contract after one year, the Major League Baseball (MLB) club announced Friday.

The 31-year-old left-hander becomes one of the top pitchers available in free agency and leaves the Giants a major hole in their rotation after signing a two-year deal last March worth $62 million.

Snell was voted the American League Cy Young Award winner in 2018 while with Tampa Bay and took the National League version of the award in 2023 while with San Diego.

This season, Snell spent two stints on the injured list, suffering from a left adductor strain and left groin strain, before returning in July and showing his top form.

Over his final 14 starts for the Giants, Snell had a 1.23 earned-run average with 114 strikeouts and 30 walks over 80 1/3 innings.

On 2 August, Snell struck out 11 Cincinnati batters in a no-hitter victory, throwing the first complete game of his career.

Over 211 starts in nine MLB seasons, Snell has a 3.19 ERA and 1,368 strikeouts with a 76-58 record.

The Giants went 80-82 this year and missed the playoffs for the seventh time in eight seasons. They haven’t won a playoff series since 2016.