Snell rescinds thanks to Red Sox for dealing Betts to Dodgers

Blake Snell is playing in the same division as Mookie Betts once again, and he has some conflicting feelings about thanking the Boston Red Sox for dealing the four-time All-Star to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"I said a while ago when Boston traded Mookie I was super excited and 'Thank you, Boston,' so now I gotta face Mookie even more," Snell said at his media availability during his first day of camp with the San Diego Padres. "I'm taking my thank-you back. I'm not thanking Boston anymore."

The Red Sox dealt Betts to the Dodgers last winter while Snell was still a member of their division rivals, the Tampa Bay Rays. With Snell anchoring their rotation in 2020, the Rays won the AL East with the best record in the Junior Circuit while the Red Sox floundered to a last-place finish.

But the Rays traded Snell to the Padres this offseason, meaning the lefty will again have to face his former foe. The Padres and Dodgers are scheduled to play each other 19 times in 2021.

As the reigning World Series champions, the Dodgers are expected to win the NL West for a ninth straight season. The Padres pose the greatest threat to L.A. after finishing 2020 with the National League's second-best record. Los Angeles has a 64.9% chance of winning the NL West in 2021, while San Diego has a 34.8% chance, according to FanGraphs.

For his career, Betts is 7-for-23 with one home run, six RBIs, and three walks in regular-season play against Snell. The former Cy Young winner has struck out the 2018 AL MVP twice.