San Diego Padres left-hander Blake Snell is opening up about his final appearance with the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 6 of the World Series.
In the sixth inning of the decisive game toward the Los Angeles Dodgers' World Series victory, the Rays pulled Snell after he surrendered a one-out single to Austin Barnes. It was just the second hit the southpaw allowed in the game on 73 pitches.
"I look back at it a lot, but, I mean, I gave up the hit strictly because my mindset switched when I saw (reliever Nick Anderson) warming up," Snell said on the "R2C2" podcast hosted by former major-leaguer CC Sabathia and Ryan Ruocco. "Like, I gave up that hit to Barnes ... I was just more like, 'F---, I'm going to get pulled.'"
"Man, I was so checked out after I got pulled. We just handed them the World Series" @snellzilla4 taking you through his emotions. @CC_Sabathia and @RyanRuocco get all the goods. Tune in! @ringer x @spotifypodcasts pic.twitter.com/iyQUFAikc3
— R2C2 (@R2C2) January 14, 2021
Mookie Betts then hit a double off Anderson, and Barnes scored on a wild pitch. Betts then also scored on a fielder's choice from Corey Seager, ceding the lead to the Dodgers for good.
"I was lost. I just was honestly lost," Snell added. "Even in interviews, I looked at like, 'Man, I was so checked out after I got pulled.' I didn't know what to say, what to do. I just remember I called my dad when I got to the hotel, we talked ... and I didn't have nothing to say. I was just, like, 'We really just handed them the World Series.' That's how it felt."
Tampa Bay traded Snell to the Padres last month for a four-player return headlined by catcher Francisco Mejia and top pitching prospect Luis Patino.
The left-hander owns a 3.24 ERA and 3.50 FIP over 108 career starts. He won the 2018 American League Cy Young award.
