The Seahawks face the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday evening, serving as the finale of the NFL's three-game Thanksgiving Day slate. Shoreline's own two-time Cy Young Award-winning MLB pitcher Blake Snell will raise the Seahawks' 12 Flag.
The eight-year MLB veteran was born in Seattle and starred on the mound at Shorewood High in Shoreline before becoming a first-round selection by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2011 MLB Draft. After five seasons spent rising through the minor league system, Snell was promoted to the Rays' roster in 2016. In 2018, Snell finished 21-5 with 221 strikeouts and a 1.89 ERA, earning his first Cy Young Award. Snell would lead the American League in wins that season, earning his first career All-Star selection.
In 2020, the San Diego Padres acquired Snell via trade with the Rays. After 341 strikeouts across his first two seasons in San Diego, Snell won his second-career Cy Young Award earlier this month for a 2022 season in which he appeared in 32 games, posting a 14-9 record with a 2.25 ERA and a career-high 234 strikeouts.
The 30-year-old is currently a free agent, with plenty of brewing interest for his services. In the meantime, the local kid gets to raise the 12 Flag before one of the most-pivotal games of the season for the 6-4 Seahawks.
