Blake Snell’s brief scare appears to be settling down in time for the Dodgers’ stretch run. The left-hander tested his left groin with a 90-foot throwing session at Dodger Stadium before Friday’s opener against the Giants, two days after tightness ended his outing after one inning.
Key takeaways
- Snell reported no problems after his throwing work and did not need imaging.
- Los Angeles expects the two-time Cy Young Award winner to make one more regular-season start.
- His next turn could fall during the Dodgers’ three-game home series against San Diego beginning Tuesday.
- Since returning from the injured list on Aug. 11, Snell has posted a 1.01 ERA across seven starts.
- Roki Sasaki is also nearing a return from a right middle-finger blister suffered on Aug. 27.
A short pause, not a shutdown
Manager Dave Roberts said the club was pleased to get ahead of the groin issue before it developed into something more serious. The injury has bothered Snell at various points in his career, but the Dodgers saw enough from Friday’s session to keep him on course for another outing before the postseason.
The exact date has not been set. Snell’s normal rotation slot would arrive during the Padres series, though the Dodgers still have nine regular-season games remaining and can adjust the schedule as needed.
Roberts indicated Snell’s next appearance should resemble a standard start rather than a heavily restricted tune-up. The Dodgers may avoid extending him unnecessarily depending on their position in the standings, but they are not presently planning to send him out with a strict limitation. It is expected to be his last start before October.
Rotation matters grow sharper in October
Snell’s season has already included two injured-list stops. He opened the year on the 15-day IL with fatigue in his left shoulder and did not debut until May 9. Soon after that return, he went back on the shelf because of loose bodies in his left elbow. Those were removed through the NanoNeedle Scope procedure.
Since his Aug. 11 return, however, Snell has looked fully capable of carrying a front-line workload. Over 35 2/3 innings, he has struck out 47 hitters, walked 14 and allowed runs at a 1.01 ERA clip.
That run has made him central to a postseason staff that includes Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tarik Skubal. Tyler Glasnow started Friday against San Francisco, but he has also dealt with injuries this season. Sasaki, sidelined since Aug. 27 by the blister on his throwing hand, is expected to get back for one final regular-season start as well.
The Dodgers did consider whether a longer rest period might better prepare Snell for a playoff opener, especially given his past success after extended absences. But Roberts noted that holding him until October could leave him without competitive action for roughly 17 days. In previous layoff situations, Snell has generally had rehab assignments or other game preparation; simply sitting for two weeks and then stepping into a postseason game is not viewed as the same thing.
